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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26519467">Nemesism</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hogwhorets/pseuds/Hogwhorets'>Hogwhorets</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Haikyuu!!</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Aged-Up Character(s), All The Ships, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Mythology, Alternate Universe - No Volleyball, Alternate Universe - Science Fiction, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Angst, AtsuHina, Chaos, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Enemies to Lovers, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Smut, Found Family, Heavy Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Magic, Minor Character Death, Mythology - Freeform, Original Universe, Slow Burn, Very dark themes, if you like worldbuilding you're in the right place, it will get really intense at some points, lots of lore to get through, more tags to come, no beta we die like men, there is so much going on, this is going to be chaotic</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 04:13:22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>20,311</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26519467</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hogwhorets/pseuds/Hogwhorets</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>For centuries, the universe has grown, changed, and evolved. Empires have risen and fallen, kingdoms have merged, and civilizations have collapsed into Oblivion. It is an ever-changing cycle, but as with all things, the balance is maintained, and life goes on. </p><p>However, with the dawn of the New Era, all does not bode well for the universe. There is an up-and-coming nation on the horizon: Volaris, the human empire created surely by determination and willpower. The humans of Volaris are known for little besides their imperialistic spirit and their conquering capabilities, and this age knows no different. Their kingdom has grown exponentially for centuries, and as the world pushes forth into a new age, their kingdom threatens all.</p><p>Volaris is not the only force at work. With millions of refugees fleeing the destruction left in Volaris' wake, legends of the thirteen pillars, long-sleeping guardians of the first era, are spreading like wildfire. If left unchecked, Volaris could bring the balance of the universe to a withering halt. </p><p>Some are born knowing their destiny. Some have it placed unwillingly into their hands.</p><p>tldr; volleyball boys are trying to uncover secrets and save the world</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Akaashi Keiji/Bokuto Koutarou, Hinata Shouyou/Miya Atsumu, Iwaizumi Hajime/Oikawa Tooru, Kageyama Tobio/Miya Osamu, Kozume Kenma/Kuroo Tetsurou, Sawamura Daichi/Sugawara Koushi, Tsukishima Kei/Yamaguchi Tadashi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>21</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Prologue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hello everyone!</p><p>This is an idea for a novel I've had for a long time, and I thought it might be a good world-building exercise to figure out lore and concepts via some harmless fun, like a fic with characters that I love. There's a LOT of lore to get through, so bear with me, but I will do my best to introduce the world I've created in a way that you'll enjoy. ^^</p><p>Also, I have a Pinterest board for this story! Since it's based on a book I've been worldbuilding for a long time, there's a lot of concepts in the sections of this board. I thought that sharing it might help some readers visualize different aspects of the universe. It is, after all, massive, so it can be hard to fully explain how everything looks / operates. https://www.pinterest.com/anarkanex/nemesism/</p><p>NOTE;; This is not canon-compliant at all, and being in a completely new universe, it may take some time for characters we all know and love to show up and interact the way that we're all familiar with.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>
  <span>╔═══━━━─── • ───━━━═══╗</span>
</p><p>
  <span>PROLOGUE</span>
</p><p>
  <span>╚═══━━━─── • ───━━━═══╝</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>It was like a thousand fires had gone out at once.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>The sky had never been such a brilliant shade of crimson. Even in the early, angry hours of the summer solstice, when the sun kissed the horizon for weeks at a time and washed the sky in a palette of warm hues, the colors had never burned quite like this. It felt as though the sun, by some small measure, felt the same loss and shame for the injustice happening far beneath her. Her grief came in the form of bitter, red fog, hanging in suspense over the clearing, like a curtain waiting to fall.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>The acrid scent of metal was so strong in the air that he could taste it on his tongue. Although he couldn't see the full extent of the field in front of him - he could hardly see his hands in front of his face - the weight of the silence that hung over his shoulders pulled the breath from his lungs and hardened it like a knot in his throat. The only thing that seemed to quell the quiet was the sound of his ragged steps, wet with something he didn't dare look at.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Moments ago, there had been screaming. Moments ago, rings of light had slipped like rapid-fire from the stars above, crashing into mountains with wider ranges of destruction than anything he'd seen before. Moments ago, he'd been faced with the harsh reality that the snapping sound echoing off of the trees was not, in fact, the bitter thread of his sanity, but rather pieces of his fallen brethren strewn about without any care or caution. Moments ago, the world had been loud enough to make his thoughts feel like static inside of his head.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>The silence was almost worse.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>There was a sound ahead of him. A low, soft whimper, with a baritone he'd heard a thousand times before. Two opulent rings of blue appeared in the fog, and as he trudged closer, he caught sight of the glistening black scales. Plumes of smoke filtered from the front of the beast's face - faint, but still visible.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>Dermyr,</span>
  </em>
  <span>" He breathed, more like a prayer than acknowledgement. The dragon's sapphire eyes shifted in his direction, but as they gazed at him, he realized just how little they saw. A glossy film had overcome his otherwise vibrant irises, and it seemed that with each rise and fall of the beast's chest, the light in them grew more and more dim.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>The dragon huffed at him and pressed its head into his chest, gently shoving him back in the direction he'd come. Another whimper, and then the dragon lowered its head.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>A gasp fell from his lips, accompanied by an instantaneous pool of tears in his eyes. Dermyr had always garnered praise for the iridescent glimmer of his onyx scales. He'd known the beast since birth, and side by side, they'd been raised together, similar in age and spirit. The dragon had always possessed the same scrutinizing gaze and supernatural hyper-focus that he was known for; they were, after all, twin flames, and their spirits were tied together in a way that those beyond his species would never understand. Such was the reason that he felt his heart give way at the sight, falling from his chest to the balls of his feet.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Along the length of Dermyr's neck was a jagged, ugly gash, pooling with the same crimson liquid that coated his feet and ankles. With each shallow breath that the dragon drew, the wound pulsed and continued spilling, and he felt as though he was witnessing the dragon's life force draining from inside of him.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>With trembling fingers, he grasped the dragons neck and did his best to apply pressure, but the scales beneath his palms had already begun to grow cold. The gash was well beyond the length of his arm, and so deep that the sight of it made the contents of his stomach spring forth viciously. He heaved and hacked at his own feet, tasting acid and blood alike, and with each roll of his shoulders he surrendered a choked sob into the quiet air.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"Not like this," He breathed, </span>
  <em>
    <span>cried</span>
  </em>
  <span>, pressing his forehead to the side of Dermyr's face. The dragon nudged him in response, but the touch was far weaker than it had been in a long time. Again, the beast attempted to push him onward, as if this was not a scene meant for him. With his dragon's blood on his hands and the faint susurrus of his breathing ringing in his ears, he let out another choked sob and stepped back.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>There were far more wounds than he'd anticipated. Not just Dermyr's neck, but his stomach, wings, and chest; there were slashes on his legs and grotesque pieces missing, as if he'd taken the brunt of some grand attack. Now, with his eyes open and finally </span>
  <em>
    <span>seeing</span>
  </em>
  <span>, he could make out the shapes that lay behind his dragon. Beyond him, more lifeless forms - both beast and draconic - lay strewn about the field in positions that shouldn't have been possible.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He spared a glance down at his feet. Another heave rolled through his shoulders, effectively ridding his stomach of the last of its contents. The ground beneath him, once black and jagged terrain, pooled with a thick, red substance that he knew all too well. In piles around him lay shredded pieces of clothing, discarded scales, locks of hair - all things that had once belonged to </span>
  <em>
    <span>someone</span>
  </em>
  <span>. It was a field littered with corpses, and besides the dying beast pleading with him to flee, he was the only living being for as far as he could see.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>The world had been silent, but in a matter of seconds, it exploded into sound.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Another round of lights fired above him. Instinctively, he crouched beside Dermyr and threw his arms over his head, smearing blood and sweat alike across his face and into his hair. He watched with dull, cloudy eyes as the lights landed over the crest of the hill up ahead. He could barely make out its shape in the fog, and as the lights descended, another cacophony of screams and shouts of agony rang through the air.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He was sprinting before his mind had time to process, tripping over corpses and fumbling with his hands to keep from being weighed down entirely. He didn't have time to process the horrendous sights that passed him; those images were tucked away to be felt and mourned later, when his adrenaline no longer held a vicious grip on the tattered remains of his sanity. He could hardly hear the echo of his own footsteps. As if he'd been placed inside of a tunnel with only one destination, he couldn't help but continue fighting his way towards that spot - the crest in the hill - to satisfy some brutal, innate curiosity to watch more destruction than he already had.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>When he reached the hill, time seemed to slow and compartmentalize into some sort of reel that he was watching from the sidelines. The wind whipped viciously at his face, nipping his bare skin and reminding him of the harsh upset of their climate due to the invasion. The blood on his skin was no longer warm, but rather hard and cold, and he knew that no amount of soap or water would ever make him feel clean again.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Below, his brethren fought with every cell and instinct.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Below, dragons fell from great heights and burned.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Below, there was an aura he'd seen so often, it felt like home to him. A luminescent, pastel bubble that surrounded the few that still stood, flickering in and out of vibrancy as the wielder's power began to fade.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Below, his father held the front lines. He let out a final cry, something so primal and raw that it stirred his chest in ways he no longer felt possible. His cry was cut short by a blast of that wicked, treacherous light, and he and the beast he'd spent a lifetime with - </span>
  <em>
    <span>Fro'k </span>
  </em>
  <span>- hit the ground with enough force that he could hear the snap from atop the ridge. They didn't move again.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Below, he heard a shriek so full of grief that he felt as though he'd been slapped, and as if she sensed his presence, met the glistening eyes of his mother as the last of her power dribbled out into the aura barrier she'd placed. Like her will to continue on, the barrier snapped and shattered, and an array of light beat down upon the remnants of his clan like rain thundering into the earth.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He didn't register the thunderous heartbeat of the beast descending behind him.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He didn't register the echoes of footsteps in the fog beyond the clearing, nor did he register the shouts and commands of the invaders.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He didn't register the whimpers of the last of his clan as they crawled from the impact site despite their broken limbs and blood loss.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Rather, there was a voice on the wind that brought the air back into his chest and relieved the tension from his clenched fists. It, like the wind, stirred the tears on his cheeks and prompted them on.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>Take her.</span>
  </em>
  <span>" It was his mother's voice, soft and bell-like, with all of the warmth and understanding of someone who hadn't just witnessed this gruesome slaughter. Her voice sounded like summers spent in the salt-lake pools beneath the burning peaks above their city; it sounded like fireworks during the Festival of the Eclipse, when the ash season finally gave way to months of dutiful sunshine; it sounded like those first flights on Dermyr's back when he'd been a lanky-legged kid without any sense of up or down. It sounded like home.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He let out a choked sob and fell to his knees atop the ridge, fingers twisting with the blood-riddled rocks. Something nudged at his back, but it was not enough to pull him from this hole he'd been thrown into.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>As the beast behind him lifted him carelessly - as if he weighed nothing - and tucked him behind the crown of feathers atop her head, he felt a sharp ripple of pain shoot up the length of his spine and cried out, feeling as though something had been forcibly ripped from him.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He wasn't sure how he knew, but a certainty settled into his bones that he couldn't deny. Dermyr was dead. Fro'k was dead. His mother and father had passed on together, hand in hand.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>A thousand fires had gone out at once, and he had witnessed every one of them. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Atsumu and the rest of Squadron Twelve mull over the frustratingly vague details of their newest exhibition. </p><p>Hinata - along with his companions, both familiar and new - take in the sights that Ghevra has to offer and ponder some sour news.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Back with another chapter!</p><p>After such a vague prologue, I thought it would be fun to throw you right in with some familiar faces. More characters are going to be introduced as the story progresses, so let's make a game of it: which of the Haikyuu characters that we know and love do you think will remain human in this universe? Who do you think will be a new species? (The ones in this chapter don't count, but give it a shot)</p><p>Also, I have a pinterest board for this story! Since it's based on a book I've been worldbuilding for a long time, there's a lot of concepts in the sections of this board. I thought that sharing it might help some readers visualize different aspects of the universe. It is, after all, massive, so it can be hard to fully explain how everything looks / operates. https://www.pinterest.com/anarkanex/nemesism/</p><p>As always, I hope that you enjoy! Feel free to shoot me a comment with any thoughts or questions. &lt;3</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>╔═══━━━─── • ───━━━═══╗</span>
</p><p>
  <span>CHAPTER ONE</span>
</p><p>
  <span>╚═══━━━─── • ───━━━═══╝</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <b>UNKNOWN LOCATION. </b>
  <em>
    <span>- time unknown.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He'd been here before.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>The room seemed more a garden than a library, and were it not for the endless books that swelled in various-sized mounds on the floor around him, he likely would have thought himself lost in some sort of greenhouse; initially, it had occurred to him that there were some buildings of this caliber in the eleventh district on the outer perimeter of the city, and although he couldn't remember how he'd gotten here, the part of him that desperately grasped for an explanation conceded that perhaps he'd stumbled here in a drunken stupor. It certainly wouldn't have been the first time.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Of course, this thought shattered inside of him the moment he'd caught sight of the objects floating overhead: aging pages, dancing about like leaves in the wind. They swirled in patterns that appeared predestined, drawing close to him in a way that seemed anthropomorphic and curious. When he raised a calloused finger to grasp one, it slipped away from him teasingly. He'd have laughed, had it not been so strange.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Come to think of it, Atsumu couldn't remember the last time he'd seen a physical book. Although he'd heard rumors of ancient texts stored in the subfloors of the capitol building, he'd never laid eyes on them personally. The clearance to do so was far above his head, and however charming he thought himself to be, it wasn't nearly enough to persuade someone of that stature to give in to his curious whims. Not that it truly mattered; nearly every text known to man had been digitized and translated, and the amount of new tech that he had access to far outweighed the satisfaction of holding a physical copy in his hands.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>A sound disturbed his thoughts, and Atsumu tore his eyes from the pages above him to a nook he hadn't noticed before. It was almost entirely shrouded in plants he'd never seen before, but he hardly had time for the scientist inside of him to gawk before he caught sight of the origin of the sound. Where the vibrancy of the flowers began to merge and transition into abundant, violet leaves that cascaded down over the head of a large, rounded desk sat a woman unlike anyone he'd ever seen before. Even in the low lighting of the room - now, he noted, it appeared somewhat like a treehouse - he could make out the warm, bronze hue of her skin. It stood in stark contrast to the white silks adorning her shoulders, falling from her in a way that made them appear as though they poured directly from her flesh. She was adorned from head to toe in golden jewelry that glistened in the twilight: a bangle around the delicate curve of her neck, large, spherical earrings, clasps to hold up her silks, chains to rest along her shoulders. The jewelry was not the only gold, Atsumu noted. Along her face, down the ridges of her cheeks - like brilliant tear streaks - and the center of her chin lay more bits of gold, almost as if they'd sprouted naturally from her skin.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>It was her features that perturbed him the most. Her hair was two colors, split directly down the middle; an opalescent white hue on the right half, and a shade as black as night on the left. Atop her temples sat a circlet of gold, with a glistening opal presented delicately in the center. Her eyes, he noticed last, yet they inspired such an unsettling feeling in him that Atsumu couldn't help but shiver.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>They were inhuman. An ethereal, otherworldly shade of marigold that far outmatched the jewelry, making it seem almost dull in comparison. On her forehead was an embedded character of a language that he didn't recognize, glowing with the same hue.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Somehow, she seemed both timeless and ancient; she appeared young to him, but something about her presence alone instilled him with a certainty that she'd seen many lifetimes before his. His fingers trembled at the thought.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>Who are you</span>
  </em>
  <span>?" Atsumu grumbled cautiously, hands instinctively flying to his sides. His belt loops and pockets were not where he expected them to be, and sparing a glance down, he realized that he didn't recognize his attire at all. "</span>
  <em>
    <span>What is this</span>
  </em>
  <span>?"</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Amusement sparkled in her eyes. There was something disturbingly familiar about the expression she'd fixed him with. Suddenly, Atsumu was uncomfortably aware of the rapid beating of his heart. When she spoke, her voice was layered; it was as if multiple people were speaking at once, and yet the sound was as pleasant and comforting as siren song, like a perfect harmony in his ears. "</span>
  <em>
    <span>You are not as afraid as last time</span>
  </em>
  <span>."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>His lips parted to offer her a retort, but his voice died in his throat. The same, striking familiarity he'd felt moments ago hit him once more. He'd been here before.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Atsumu took a step forward. His feet were bare. "</span>
  <em>
    <span>What is this place</span>
  </em>
  <span>?"</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>Somewhere safe</span>
  </em>
  <span>." The corners of her plush lips turned up at him, and the warmth in her expression could almost be felt in the air. She lifted a slender hand, beckoning him forward with a single finger. Swallowing, he realized how closely her pearlescent nails resembled talons. "</span>
  <em>
    <span>I won't hurt you, child. Come, join me.</span>
  </em>
  <span>"</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Atsumu did as he was bid, despite the voice inside of him screaming that this was wrong. Relaxing his wait onto the plush, velvet cushion ahead of her, he allowed his gaze to slip from her bronze face to the room around them, beginning to note more and more details that he hadn't seen before. Intricate fabrics hung from the ceiling and pooled down onto the walls, inscribed with images of creatures he'd never seen before. It was not only pages that danced through the air, but other objects, too: candles, brushes, and small, glowing orbs with transparent wings - a flying creature of some sort. </span>
  <em>
    <span>That's the source of the light, </span>
  </em>
  <span>He realized, eyes widening.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>Fascinating, aren’t they?" </span>
  </em>
  <span>She lifted a finger once more, and one of the flying creatures descended, perching delicately against her skin. It washed her hand and forearm in a soft, yellow glow. He felt something comforting stir inside of his chest. "</span>
  <em>
    <span>Hold your hand out, child.</span>
  </em>
  <span>"</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Atsumu swallowed and raised his palm, watching with subdued, childlike curiosity as the creature transferred from her hand to his. Its touch against his skin was light as could be, and had he not seen it land, he might not have felt it at all. With his lips parting in awe, he raised his other hand to brush delicately at the creature's wings, murmuring, "</span>
  <em>
    <span>I've never seen somethin' like this before.</span>
  </em>
  <span>"</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>Ah, yes. They have been extinct in your realm for quite some time."</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Atsumu flashed her a puzzled look.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Her smile shifted, and he felt something remorseful stir in his stomach. "</span>
  <em>
    <span>Humans are such beautiful and disastrous creatures, aren't they?"</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>His frown cut like a knife through his expression, and the puzzling look in his eyes only grew in measure. "</span>
  <em>
    <span>What do you mean?"</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>A tale for another time. I am sorry that our visits are so infrequent and short in duration; I'm afraid I do not have much energy to spare these days.</span>
  </em>
  <span>"</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>I don't understand." </span>
  </em>
  <span>The creature flew free of his grasp, and as Atsumu reached for it, he felt warm palms close around his face and guide his gaze back to hers. Her eyes seemed to pierce right through him.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>You won't for some time, I imagine." </span>
  </em>
  <span>Her voice was softer now - tender. At that moment, as tears brimmed in her eyes, Atsumu felt a devastating wave of hiraeth in every fiber of his being. He closed his eyes, pressing his face into the warmth of her hands, and as if the sight of hers had called to something in him, he felt his lashes grow wet against his cheeks. Her voice felt as though it were surrounding him.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>I am just happy to have found you again."</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>━━━━━━━━━ </span>
  <span>☾ </span>
  <span>━━━━━━━━━</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <b>ANCORA - </b>
  <em>
    <span>Volaris, 0900 hours.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"You look like shit."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"Aw, Omi-Omi, yer a charmer as always." The accent was heavy as it fell from his smirk-ridden lips. Despite the bruises littering his brow and the distaste written clearly across his companion's face, Atsumu couldn't surrender the familiar, cocky lilt to his voice. He grinned wickedly, leaning against the pallid counter with his hands drawn up beneath his chin. "I think a little ruggedness adds to the allure."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"I wasn't talking about the bruising," Sakusa grumbled. Atsumu didn't have to see his mouth behind the mask to know that he was scowling. "I meant your face. You're pale and your eyes are hollow. Have you not been sleeping?"</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"Be careful, or I'm going to start thinkin' ya care about me or somethin'." Atsumu chuckled and straightened his posture, stepping aside to allow the onyx-haired man into the kitchen. He kept a careful distance, as if he might somehow acquire a disease just by breathing the same air, and Atsumu knew well enough to pick his battles when it came to Sakusa's germophobic tendencies. The man was nothing if not careful, but he couldn't help but find it comical in contrast to the nature of his companion's job; ranging was, after all,  often rather involved in unfamiliar environments without the protection and familiarity of their clean, civilized world. Though, Atsumu mused, he supposed Sakusa had made enough modifications on his suit by now to guard against any fathomable threat - microscopic or otherwise. "But to answer yer question, I just had a weird dream, 's all."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Sakusa hummed in acknowledgment as he filled a cup with scalding Jasmine tea. As he brought it to his lips and fixed Atsumu with piercing, black eyes, something about the intensity of his gaze made a familiar prickling sensation creep down the length of his spine.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Humans are such beautiful and disastrous creatures, aren't they?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"Miya."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"Huh?" Atsumu blinked, suddenly aware of the brittle voice stirring the silence in the air. "Didja say somethin'?"</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>The lines around Sakusa's eyes betrayed the frown hidden beneath his mask. "I asked if you had read over the file for the next expedition yet."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, uh," Atsumu chuckled sheepishly, scratching at the back of his head, "Not yet! Was plannin' on doin' that this morning, actually."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"The briefing is this morning."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"A perfect time to read it, then." Atsumu winked and rounded the entirety of the counter, settling onto a barstool a good distance from where his companion stood. As he opened his mouth to inquire about the contents of the file, a throat cleared in the arched doorway behind them.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"Good morning, you two."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"Good morning, Sawamura." Sakusa dipped his head in acknowledgment.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Atsumu rested his head on a tired hand and nodded as well, offering, "Good mornin', Captain."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Their captain stifled a yawn as he entered the main living quarters, stretching his arms above his head and rolling tension from his shoulders. If Atsumu knew him at all - and after a decade, he sure hoped he would - Daichi had been awake since the crack of dawn, pouring over the files they'd received in the study. There was no questioning his dedication to the mission, but his drive to work so diligently seemed foreign and unnatural to the blonde.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>As if he'd been eavesdropping on their previous conversation, Daichi turned to Atsumu and raised a brow. "You haven't read it, have you?"</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"I have no clue what yer talkin' about," Atsumu tried, lifting his chin and avoiding his captain's gaze. All he garnered in response was a heavy sigh and the sound of shifting cushions as Daichi plopped onto the couch, producing a folder that Atsumu hadn't seen before. He spread it out across the table in front of him, shifting the arbitrary decorations out of the way. "I'm sure you know it like the back of yer hand by now, though."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"As your captain, you should be grateful that I do," Daichi warned, but there was no malice in his voice. "I'm counting on you, Atsumu. This is an alpha-grade expedition. We won't have room for mistakes."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>Shit,</span>
  </em>
  <span>" Atsumu breathed, running a hand through his hair. Perhaps he should have read the file before bed, after all. "New star, then?"</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"New star, new solar system, entirely new environment," Sakusa spoke up behind him, and Atsumu did his best to suppress an eye-roll at his not-so-subtle attempt to suck up. Just because he hadn't studied the file yet didn't mean he wasn't dependable; he'd never made a mistake in his entire ranging career! "But no touch-down, right, Sawamura?"</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"Right." Daichi nodded in their direction without raising his eyes from the papers in his hands. His eyebrows were drawn together in the middle, and he seemed to be evaluating something.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"So what's the catch?"</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>That got his attention. Daichi lifted his head, blinking at him. "Sorry?"</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"The catch," Atsumu repeated, motioning with his hand to the expression on his captain's face. "I know you, Sawamura. We see new stars all the time, and that means nothin' - even with touch-down. What makes this an alpha-grade?"</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"If only you were this perceptive proactively," Sakusa teased, inspiring a pouty grumble from the blonde across from him. "But I have to admit, I'm also curious."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"Well," Daichi frowned, beginning to collect the papers back into the folder, "Truth is, I don't exactly know. The parameters are frustratingly vague."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Atsumu's lips tightened. "Even </span>
  <em>
    <span>your</span>
  </em>
  <span> folder, Captain?" Sakusa's voice seemed strained behind him.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Daichi nodded. Their expressions reflected his.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>It wasn't entirely uncommon for squadrons to receive brief instruction outlines. As all of their roles had been decided the moment they'd joined the ranging division, there was only so much for them to do. For example, Atsumu was a particularly bright engineer with a specialization in extraterrestrial biological components. His role rarely veered off-course of maintaining the delicate systems of their ships and suits, as well as monitoring their vitals; foreign atmospheres often contained foreign chemicals, so he regularly had to compensate on the spot. Sakusa was an intellectual, with a vast array of knowledge on foreign cultures and archaeology, as well as a diverse understanding of the origins and history of more planets and species than Atsumu could count. Daichi was well-versed in many topics, but due to his extended experience in the ranging division, seemed to shine particularly well in a leadership position. Atsumu's strategic abilities almost rivaled his, but Sumawara's ability to maintain calm and level-headedness had crossed a boundary that Atsumu was unsure he'd ever reach.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>So, as long as their talents were applied, the intimate details of their missions weren't always necessary. The overall structure of each expedition was the same: observe, collect data, return. Their observations were either from a distance via an orbit, or through a touch-down operation. Those were rarer, but they'd happened frequently enough that Atsumu no longer felt the nervous twist in his gut at the thought. After all, what he hadn't realized during his rookie days was that they weren't hostiles. Most of the expeditions that they partook in were centered around lightly-populated or completely uninhabited territories. There was always a risk with running into the natives, as some civilizations were far more perceptive to prospective trade deals than others, but their team was well-rounded - they hadn't been unsuccessful yet.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"My, the air in the common room is awfully tense this morning."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Daichi let out another sigh. He was far too young to look so paternal, Atsumu thought in a chafing manner. "I suppose you're here to liven it up, then, Kuroo?"</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"That's what I do best." The rooster-haired man winked in their captain's direction and strolled past the couch where he was perched, taking the barstool beside Atsumu with a heavy huff. Without missing a beat, he swiveled towards the counter and eyed his comrades, brows raised. "I assume we're talking about how strange the write-up for this expedition is?"</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"That's correct. Those of us that read it, that is." Sakusa was busying himself cleaning his mug in the sink. It was a behavior that Atsumu understood, but he couldn't help the judgmental squint of his eyes as he watched the man's careful hands lather every visible centimeter in soap. As with most modern homes in their district, every appliance was entirely automated; there was no reason for Sakusa to wash his own dishes, and yet he did each and every time, insisting that he didn't trust the machines to have a "keen enough eye".</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Kuroo nodded, clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth and choosing - surprisingly - not to make a teasing comment in Sakusa's direction. "The biological profile was empty," He commented, turning his attention to Sumawara, "Absolutely nothing. I've never seen that before."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"I noticed that too." Daichi rubbed a hand across his chin, leaning back against the cushions and staring fixedly on the closed folder.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Kuroo shifted in hit seat to turn his hazel eyes on Atsumu. "The atmospheric profile was, too. You're going to have to start from scratch."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"Wonderful," Grumbled the blonde, spinning to brace his elbows backward against the counter. He chewed thoughtfully on his lip, mulling over the comments they'd all been making over the course of the conversation. While he hadn't read the file - and though he wouldn't admit it out loud, that had been a mistake - and certainly didn't have enough of an understanding of the details to make a proper argument, something about the circumstances was eating at him.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Daichi seemed to notice the contemplative way his eyebrows drew together as he studied his feet, grazing across the floor beneath the barstool. "What is it, Miya?"</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>All three of his comrades turned to him. He shrunk, not expecting the attention, and motioned with his hand as if attempting to dismiss the question. "Just thinkin'."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Sakusa snorted, muttering, "That's rare."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Daichi ignored him. "Humor me."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Atsumu shot Sakusa a cynical glare and sat up straight, thumbs rolling over the fabric of the hem of his shirt. Kuroo was watching him intently, in a way that the blonde didn't often see outside of their expeditions or training regimen. Daichi, although more relaxed, possessed a similar glimmer in his eyes. </span>
  <em>
    <span>So they've noticed it too, then, </span>
  </em>
  <span>He thought, running a hand across his chin. While he still had many leagues to go before he'd ever be Sawamura's equal, Atsumu was intelligent enough to look at all of the moving parts of their strategies, and he knew how to spot holes and - depending on the tone of the situation - fill or flex them. Daichi knew and relied on this, more than Atsumu expected.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"It feels like there's more going on here," He started, saying the words gently as if testing his limitations. Asking questions about their missions were, after all, considered rather taboo - even for the Captain. "It's an alpha-grade mission with no touch-down, which is already pretty rare. Like Tetsu said, the biological and atmospheric profiles were empty; I haven't seen that before, either. What about the cultural profile and inhabitation status?"</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Sakusa met his eyes with a muted expression on his face. "Uninhabited. You're tip-toeing around your point, Atsumu."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"Look," Atsumu let out a resigned sigh, putting his hands up, "All I'm sayin' is it seems a little odd to me that there's not a touch-down on an uninhabited planet with empty data folders. It's not like Kuroo and Sakusa can't collect their data samples from orbit, but it seems like an </span>
  <em>
    <span>awfully </span>
  </em>
  <span>big amount of work to be doin' from so far away. If it's not inhabited, what's the issue? Jus' makes me wonder what's so dangerous, is all. They don't hand out alpha grades for nothin'."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>His vernacular fell into the empty air around them, accentuated by his companions' following silence. They all seemed to be processing what he'd just said, and while Atsumu knew he hadn't articulated it perfectly, his points were perfectly valid. If there were no civilizations identified to be inhabiting the planet, what was stopping them from touching down? Typically, the answer would lay in predator populations; they were skilled rangers, but even soldiers of their caliber could be overcome by vicious native species. Still, that answer didn't seem like enough. Kuroo's biological profile had been empty, so if the answer had been as simple as native predators, would they not have folders containing profiles of the species? Something was amiss, and they could all feel it.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Daichi's watch made a chiming sound and pulled them all from their thoughts. His calloused fingers swiped across the screen, presenting a faint blue bubble that extended up his forearm. Atsumu couldn't make out any of the shapes or words from this distance, but he assumed Sawamura had received some sort of summons.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"It's from Kiyoko," He clarified, replying quickly to the message, "She and Natsu are almost back now. She'll be leading the briefing."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"Shimizu?" Kuroo blinked at him, tilting his head curiously. "Not you?"</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Daichi shook his head. "I had another meeting with the board this morning, so I sent her to collect the briefing materials in my place."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"They've really been houndin' you, huh?" Atsumu tilted his head at their captain, caramel eyes half-lidded and almost disinterested. The ranging division's senior board had been pursuing Daichi for weeks on end, constantly requesting personal meetings and interviews, as well as contracting him for fieldwork outside of their typical squadron assignments. Although they didn't discuss it out loud, everyone could guess why: Daichi was a prime choice for a promotion soon, and with his track record, it would likely be a big one. They wanted to see him go no more than he wanted to leave them, however, so he'd been delaying it as much as possible. "They must be desperate."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"No," A soft voice called from the doorway, "Daichi would just make a wonderful coordinator."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Kiyoko's presence was always a quiet one, and it was for this reason that they'd collectively nicknamed her 'Spook'. While not objectively creative, it was a play on her codename for their expeditions - Wraith - and seemed to fit her persona well. She spoke little, saw a lot, and always appeared in moments when they least expected her. Her analysis skills - more specifically, her ability to read every aspect of the people she interacted with - were frighteningly good. Atsumu had learned the hard way how challenging it was to keep a secret from the raven-haired woman.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Behind her, a bright head of orange hair bobbed up and down, and Atsumu thanked the heavens above that he'd been able to spend his morning quietly before having to face such a blinding ray of light. Natsu, who was often glued to her senior's side, was a bubbly, excitable little gremlin with an eye for weapons and mechanics. Only fourteen, she'd made a name for herself by flying through the ranger division's academy training program, graduating to a fully-licensed agent in just under two years. She'd been named the final member of their squadron at twelve, and having served with them for two years now, she'd shown them - and the entire division - that she was not a force to be reckoned with. Her talent, however, did little to quell the fact that she was still a loud-mouthed, stubborn ball of energy.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"Good morning, you two," Daichi greeted, his face finally softening into something more familiar. Whereas Atsumu often needed a breather to be able to handle Natsu's energy, Daichi seemed to welcome it. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Paternal, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Atsumu reminded himself. "I trust you picked up the shipments as well?"</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"Secured!" Natsu fully stepped out and motioned behind her, making a show of twisting in order to show off the giant, black pack strapped to her shoulders. It was nearly as tall as her, but her strength knew no bounds. "I did an inventory check, too - everything's here." She turned her head full of wildfire locks in his direction, fixing her piercing gaze on Atsumu. "They finally sent those tools you wanted. Ya know, the stupid-looking ones with the LEDs."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Brat. </span>
  </em>
  <span>"Those </span>
  <em>
    <span>stupid-lookin' tools </span>
  </em>
  <span>are hose-lined processin' filters. They keep you alive outside of the shuttle, ya know."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Natsu shrugged, setting the shipment down and throwing herself across the arm of the chair to Daichi's right, settling sideways onto the cushion. "I didn't say they were useless," She retorted, fiddling with the adjustment strap on one of her gloves, "Just stupid looking."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Atsumu rolled his eyes with a huff, and beside him, Kuroo let out a bark of amusement. "Aw, Tsumu, when are you gonna stop picking fights with little girls?"</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"She started-"</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"Hey!" From the couch, Natsu turned so that she was facing them properly, and burning in her eyes was something </span>
  <em>
    <span>just </span>
  </em>
  <span>shy of fury. "I'm not a little girl! I'll kick your ass!"</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Now Sakusa was laughing, and when Atsumu met Daichi's eyes, he could see the older agent struggling not to crack a smile. Kiyoko was silent, but she, too, seemed to be fighting the expression. Atsumu had fewer inhibitions; the shocking shape of Kuroo's open mouth sent him teetering over the edge into howling laughter. Almost instantaneously, he felt the weight that had hung in the room before lifting freely from his shoulders, and he found himself feeling thankful for the little brat. They had quite a back-and-forth on good days, and while he often bickered with her, he enjoyed her company and respected her talent. It was moments like this one where she really seemed to shine, and he couldn't feel anything but fondness for her.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Natsu was, however fiery-tempered, a shining, brilliant ball of sunshine in their lives. Her endless energy and red-faced stubbornness always seemed to lighten the mood, no matter how heavy.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"Better apologize," Atsumu teased, clapping a hand on Tetsu's shoulder. "She picked up some new weapons to play with today. I'd hate to give her any ideas."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Kuroo narrowed his eyes at him and dipped his chin, rolling his gaze back to the little gremlin. "My bad, Natsu."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>She crossed her arms and adjusted her position, seemingly satisfied with that response.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"Now that we're all here," Kiyoko interrupted, taking a space on the couch beside Daichi. They all watched her with careful eyes as she pulled a series of folders from the shipment bag and began passing them around, holding their breaths for her input. "You were all right in thinking that this expedition is unique. Let's begin."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>━━━━━━━━━ </span>
  <span>☼  ━━━━━━━━━</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <b>GHEVRA. - </b>
  <em>
    <span>Azuros, 0900 hours.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He'd always found himself fascinated by the music in Ghevra. There was always a light, airy quality to it that made even the strictest individuals feel like dancing and called to his soul in a way that healed him. One would think that, with so many aspects of so many cultures, the music would have grown muddy and overwhelming by now. It seemed almost magical in that way - it was always a perfect blend of harmonies. Every sound was intentional, and even on his worst days, he felt instantly better upon overhearing a new tune or catching sight of synchronized dances in Reoream Park.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>What a perfect ambiance, he thought, to accompany his trek to the outer gardens.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>The markets were alive and bustling as usual. Across the ornate bridge of the canal, with waters as blue and pellucid as some of the finer minerals in the mountains above,</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shōyō could see brilliantly-colored banners soaring high above the street. Each morning, the merchants gathered to their stalls to set up shop as the sun crested the horizon, and each morning, he found himself impressed with their tenacity. It brought him a special pleasure to peruse the stalls on his rounds, as they always seemed to grace their counters with items from civilizations he'd never dreamt of visiting. Shōyō had seen thousands of souls from thousands of different planets throughout his lifetime, but the world was endless; the market provided an often much-needed reminder, and he always met it with uninhibited awe.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>Mek'na!" </span>
  </em>
  <span>A melodic voice caught his attention, and with a warm smile, Shōyō halted in his path.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Laughter full of warmth and fondness bubbled in his chest and spilled from his lips. When he turned his amber eyes towards the first stall - he'd barely reached the end of the bridge, but he shouldn't have been surprised, as her eyes were intimidatingly keen - the familiar feline was waving intently at him. In a swift motion, she hopped the stall counter and bounded towards him, gathering his hands in her own while careful not to mar his skin with her claws.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"Ehjih," Hinata said softly, "I've told you: you don't have to call me that. Shōyō is just fine." </span>
  <em>
    <span>Mek'na </span>
  </em>
  <span>was a word of Ehjih's language - Xejarhi - and if he remembered her thorough explanation correctly, it was an honorific used to describe someone wielding great power, on the condition that the power had been ardently acquired. While he understood that the Qaevrithi people placed great importance on honorifics and knew her intentions were kind, he couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed. After all, Shōyō didn't see himself as superior to her in any way.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>She was watching him with wide, aquamarine eyes, and the glimmer in them spoke of her defiance for his words. It was a battle he'd fought - and lost - many times before. "</span>
  <em>
    <span>Mek'na </span>
  </em>
  <span>Shōyō, then," She purred, beaming at him. Her canines fit delicately against her lips, protruding but not overwhelmingly so, and Hinata couldn't help but laugh once again.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Ehjih was of Qaevrix origin, and of her species, she hailed from a rare race known as </span>
  <em>
    <span>Zik. </span>
  </em>
  <span>All of the Qaevrithi people were feline-esque in appearance, some more than others, and the different races found on their home planet all exhibited different characteristics and varying cultural quirks that Hinata found utterly fascinating. The Zik were smaller than the average Qaevrix, with large ears and more pronounced feline features. Unlike their humanoid counterparts, known as </span>
  <em>
    <span>Ciqik</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Zik had short, often marked fur and tended to appear more like anthropomorphic cats. Ehjih was no exception, with exceptionally large ears atop her head and silver fur, threaded with stripes of ivory and gray on her arms and legs. Her fingers were longer and sharper, and her facial structure bore striking resemblance to the fluffy creature she often carried on her shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"The markets are busy this morning." Shōyō was not very tall, but Ehjih was even smaller in stature. Most Zik were. Gazing over her head, he trailed his eyes from stall to stall, taking note of how many faces - familiar and unfamiliar - flitted back and forth between them. "Has business been well?"</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"Business does not have a mind of its own," Ehjih cooed in her silken accent, grasping his hand and pulling him towards the market. When they happened upon her stall, she brought a finger to his chest and jutted at his tunic. The white fabric caught on her claw, but he paid it no mind. "I make business good. I do not have bad days."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"Ah, I see," Hinata breathed, sheepish. He reached for an ornate figurine on the counter, turning it over in his fingers with wide eyes. "New shipments?"</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"The caravans have been arriving late at night." Ehjih hummed. "Seems there are still some pieces left untouched. Not for long." Delicately, she took the figurine from him and wrapped it in her palm; he didn't miss the pained expression that ghosted across her features. "</span>
  <em>
    <span>Mek'na </span>
  </em>
  <span>Shōyō, Kenma was asking for you."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He whirled on her then, eyebrows furrowed. "So you'll call him by his given name!"</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Ehjih laughed, and he found that he was incredibly thankful to hear the sound. "You are nicer than he is. He is far too grumpy for my taste."</span>
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</p><p>
  <span>Hinata joined her with a chuckle, settling his hands onto the folds of his tunic. Of the two of them, Shōyō was easily the more talkative, approachable one. He laughed and smiled easily, and never hesitated to ask questions or approach new people. Kenma, on the other hand, was reserved and withdrawn; he spoke little, observed a lot, and seemed generally off-putting for those that didn't know him. On the rare occasion that he did contribute to a conversation, his cynical monotone and disinterest were often misinterpreted.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He'd have defended him, but Shōyō knew that Ehjih only said it in jest. She and Kenma were similar in more ways than she'd readily admit.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"I do not know where he ran off to, but it cannot have been far." She pushed a satchel in his direction and ushered him forwards by the shoulders, giving him a gentle push in the direction of the other stalls. "Bring this to him, will you? He was asking about traditional Qaevrix games."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Hinata stuck a tongue out at her, his expression wicked. "Gifts? I thought he was too grumpy for you."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"Go, go!" Try as she might to cover it, he could see the smile threatening the corners of her curved lips. "Catch up to him. Twin blessings, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Mek'na.</span>
  </em>
  <span>"</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"Okay, okay," Hinata surrendered, "Going. Twin blessings." He dipped his head and gave her a short wave, finally stepping into the buzzing atmosphere of the market alleyway.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Merchants called to him with bright smiles and familiar words of greeting as he passed, but Hinata did little but nod at them and offer greetings of his own, making short excuses for having somewhere to be. He could guess where Kenma had run off to, and if it hadn't been long since he'd come through - as Ehjih said - then Shōyō could likely catch him before he headed into the sept.</span>
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</p><p>
  <span>The stalls began to grow fewer and far between and the vibrant tapestries that hung from ornate poles overhead began to give way to luscious foliage overgrowth, peeking in and out of every crevice or corner of the walls and windows of the buildings that lined the streets. The music grew fainter, and as he descended a flight of stone steps, he began to feel the peaceful quiet creeping in around him. Shōyō hardly minded; there was little in this city that he feared, and with such a firm connection to the ground beneath his feet, it wasn't likely that any ill-intentioned force would be able to sneak up on him.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"Shōyō." He felt him before he saw him, and when Hinata raised his eyes to the fountain ahead of him, he caught sight of the pale-headed man he'd been looking for. Kenma greeted him with an expression that many would mistake for apathetic, but Shōyō had known him far too long not to notice the subtle differences. The light way that he inclined his head in Shōyō's direction, the way his eyelids rested half-lidded over his piercing gaze, content rather than calculating. He appeared to have been waiting.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"I thought you'd be over here," Hinata said cheerfully, joining his companion on the bench and propping the satchel into his lap. Kenma turned it over in his hands, and Shōyō explained, "Games from Ehjih. She said that you were asking about them."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, yes." A splash of color entered Kenma's cheeks, and he pried the contents of the bag out with excitement in his eyes. However stoic the man could be, his love for games and puzzles never failed to put that look on his face. "I'm impressed she found these."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"She said something about the caravans." Hinata paused, leaning back against the bench. Behind him, the water poured dutifully from the intricate carvings in the center of the fountain, producing a glow not unlike the water that ran through the canals. Lily pads had overtaken some of the water, and in the bottom of the fountain, iridescent flora clung to the sides of the structure. If he looked hard enough through the glistening surface, he could make out the shapes of fish swimming below; they, like the flora, were iridescent and breathtaking. A sigh fell from his lips. "I worry about them. It's not safe to keep trekking out there. You've heard the stories." The last sentence was said more like an afterthought, but he was sure his friend had heard him.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"They know the risks, Shōyō," Kenma returned, placing the items back inside of the satchel. He wrapped it up in a similar way that Shōyō had, tying the strap around it rather than wearing it. "It's their livelihood. I know that you want to help, but we're not here to police them. Let them govern themselves." His words were meant to be comforting, but something about Kenma's soft monotone didn't quite put Hinata's worries at rest. "Oh, that reminds me. Kōshi was looking for you."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"Gah, I feel like I'm on a wild goose chase," Hinata whined, closing his eyes and wrinkling his nose.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"He's in the sept, so I figured I would wait for you." Kenma shifted beside him, and Hinata could feel his friend's hand on his arm, pulling him to his feet. Kenma was taller than Hinata - albeit not by too much - but far stronger than his lithe frame seemed to indicate.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"The sept?" Shōyō quickly fell into pace behind the pale-headed man in front of him. "Don't tell me-"</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes." Kenma's tone wasn't the same as before. "Another."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Hinata swallowed roughly, grasping for Kenma's sleeve and pulling him to a stop. At first, his friend wouldn't meet his eyes, but when he realized that the orange-haired man wasn't likely to give up, Kenma raised his gaze from his feet. To Shōyō's shock, his golden eyes were burning with something he hadn't seen before. "How?" Hinata asked softly, not releasing the fabric of Kenma's tunic.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Kenma's lips sat in a firm line. "The same as it always is."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>The silence that hung between them was suffocating. "Survivors?"</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Kenma dropped his eyes at that, becoming particularly fascinated by a crack in the road beside Hinata's feet. "Yes. I've never-" His voice caught, and Hinata's fingers traveled from his sleeve to his arm, giving him a reassuring squeeze, "I've never seen something like this before."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Shōyō was at a loss for words. When he'd first heard of Kenma's most recent assignment, he'd been riddled with anxiety at the possibility of what could be happening. It wasn't as if he was ignorant to the state of the world they lived in; after all, the entire foundation of Ghevra - and Azuros, by extension - was a safe haven for refugees fleeing the devastation at their doorstep. He'd seen with his own eyes - and through the eyes of his comrades, like Kenma - what these families were running from.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>That wasn't enough to prevent the lump in his throat each time he heard a new story, however. Hinata would never be able to rid himself of the broken faces and tears he'd seen throughout his lifetime.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"I see." His voice wasn't quite as light as it had been before. He released Kenma's arm and placed a hand on his shoulder, moving to walk beside him rather than trailing behind. "Let's go, then."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"Shō," Kenma warned, stopping short, "It's worse than before. I'm telling you in advance, don't have expectations."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"I understand." Shōyō offered him a tight, understanding smile. "We are Vanai'I and Basai'I, Kenma. I know what my duty is."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Kenma's eyes studied his face as if he were trying to weigh the sincerity of his words. Without replying, he stepped off and continued down the path, towards the ornate building carved into the mountainside ahead of them.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Following, Shōyō reached his side and gazed ahead, adding, "Did Kōshi summon the others? If there are survivors, then-"</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"No need." Kenma wouldn't look at him. "There was only one."</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  
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</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Squadron Twelve faces hardship as old wounds are resurrected. Later, strange details of their mission begin to add up.</p><p>A newcomer arrives on Ghevra. Hinata is assigned a great task and makes a new friend along the way.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Back with another chapter!</p><p>Sorry this update has taken so long. I was very uninspired for a long time, but I have been getting back into the right mindset for continuing with this fic.</p><p>Also, I have a pinterest board for this story! Since it's based on a book I've been worldbuilding for a long time, there's a lot of concepts in the sections of this board. I thought that sharing it might help some readers visualize different aspects of the universe. It is, after all, massive, so it can be hard to fully explain how everything looks / operates. https://pin.it/5t0C3wd</p><p>As always, I hope that you enjoy! Feel free to shoot me a comment with any thoughts or questions. &lt;3</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>╔═══━━━─── • ───━━━═══╗</p><p>CHAPTER TWO</p><p>╚═══━━━─── • ───━━━═══╝</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <b>ANCORA - </b>
  <em>Volaris.</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"I'm not gettin' in." His voice was thick and abrupt on his lips, and despite the angry expression on his face and the stubborn crook of his arms crossed over his chest, there was a waver in it that exposed the underlying current of emotion inside of him. "We've been over this. Adjust the levels, or I'm not gettin' in."</p><p> </p><p>"Do you <em>have </em>to throw a tantrum about it?" Kuroo's tone revealed his irritation. They'd been going back and forth for ten minutes by now, while the rest of their squadron stood in wait to see just how far they'd take it this time. It wasn't uncommon for Atsumu and Kuroo to butt heads like this, as they were both incredibly stubborn and quick to assume that they knew best, but this was a topic that always got particularly heated.</p><p> </p><p>They'd attended the briefing meeting hours before and gone over basic training, so the majority of their morning had been set aside for lugging supplies onto the craft and making sure that everything was squared away. It was monotonous but necessary, since they never knew just how their missions would go. Things ran smoothly, typically, but venturing to new orbits was always a juggle of outliers they couldn't predict until they presented themselves. Squadron Twelve might have been an exceptionally talented team, but talent could never win in a fight against the natural course of the universe.</p><p> </p><p>"Atsumu." Daichi's voice was stern but sympathetic, and he felt the older man clap a hand on his shoulder and give him a brief squeeze. There were bags under his eyes and exhausted lines in his face, and for a moment, Atsumu forgot his anger in place of stubborn guilt. "You know he's just concerned for you. This isn't healthy. You can't keep doing this."</p><p> </p><p>"I don't care." Atsumu set a firm line in his jaw, looking at the two of them with hard eyes. Kuroo threw his hands up in exasperation and turned to the group behind him, stepping off with Kiyoko to discuss something in hushed tones. Daichi was staring at him. "What?"</p><p> </p><p>"I know why you want to." The words were hesitant, as if Daichi were treading a thin line that he couldn't quite see. He leaned back against the pod with his hands braced against the glass, gaze switching between Atsumu and the monitor by his hip. The numbers were <em>frustratingly </em>low. "You have to remember that you're being <em>frozen. </em>There are limits to this. You can't keep asking Kuroo-"</p><p> </p><p>"I know that!" Atsumu groaned and reached for the screen, hellbent on changing the levels himself, but Daichi smacked his hand away. He glared at the captain. "Sawamura, I built the backup mechanism myself. I know how it works. Even if somethin' were to happen, the system will kick on, and then it'll be fine."</p><p> </p><p>Daichi crossed his arms. Atsumu groaned internally - that was his 'defensive dad' position. "And what if it isn't fine? What if the system fails?"</p><p> </p><p>His pulse jumped, but the blonde wasn't about to give in so easily. This wasn't another stupid fight that he'd picked for no reason; he <em>needed </em>Kuroo to do this. "Then we hope that they can thaw me out back home. I can't do stasis, Daichi. I won't do it."</p><p> </p><p>"You're being selfish." Sakusa had been quiet for the entirety of the argument, busying himself by keeping items out of Natsu's grabby hands, but he appeared before the two of them before Atsumu could think to tell him off. His expression was neutral, but there was a distasteful curve to his lips that hinted at which side he'd taken. "You would have Kuroo take this sort of risk knowing that it could get you killed? This is not the same as giving you an extra dosage of melatonin, Miya. Kuroo is in charge of your stasis levels, and you're asking him to test that boundary."</p><p> </p><p>"He knows what he's doin'." Atsumu huffed, feeling an unfamiliar weight settle onto his shoulders. As much as he hated to admit it, Sakusa was absolutely brilliant at calling out the flaws in his logic to his face, and never failed to make him feel like an asshole. "It's not like I don't have a reason. I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important-"</p><p> </p><p>"So you not having dreams about your brother is more important than your life?" Sakusa raised a brow, and suddenly, Atsumu wanted to punch him in his pretty mouth. "You'd risk making Kuroo live with that for the rest of his life to avoid confronting your grief?"</p><p> </p><p>"'Scuse me?"</p><p> </p><p>"You heard me." Sakusa lifted a gloved hand to push a curly lock out of his eyes, meeting Atsumu's glare with a steady, emotionless look of his own. "You're being selfish. You think you're the only one with bad dreams? The rest of us deal with it, and so should you, Miya. You weren't the only one close to Osamu."</p><p> </p><p>"Sakusa. That's enough." Daichi's voice cut through the tension in the air, and when Atsumu managed to pry his eyes away from the raven-haired prick in front of him, he saw that Daichi was no longer relaxed against the pod beside him. He stood with his hands clenched by his hips and a harsh expression on his face, looking about as ready to hit Sakusa as Atsumu felt. "You know better than to go that far." He was quiet for a second, and then with a tight breath, he turned. "Atsumu-"</p><p> </p><p>"Fuck you." The words were torn from his mouth before he could stop them, and it wasn't until he'd given voice to it that Atsumu felt just how angry he was. His fingers trembled at his sides and his shoulders sat heavy and tight. His ears were red and ringing, and he was possessed with such a strong urge to knock that dumbfounded expression off of Sakusa's face, he thought it might bubble up and overflow.</p><p> </p><p>Sakusa's eyes narrowed, but he said nothing. This wasn't the first of their heated arguments, and it certainly wouldn't be the last.</p><p> </p><p>Daichi's grip on his shoulder was like iron this time, and he pushed him forward a few steps, towards the docking entrance to the craft. "Take a walk." It wasn't a suggestion.</p><p> </p><p>Atsumu didn't need to be told twice.</p><p> </p><p>Outside of the craft, maintenance workers mulled about with various sized pouches and containers loaded on their arms, all babbling about small details for the trip he'd be taking. Preparing the ship was a lot of work, but while being an agent possessed many benefits, there had been a few occasions thus far where Atsumu had considered throwing in the towel and changing occupations to something like this: risk-free, monotonous, and easy. It was a pipe dream, he knew - the board rarely let go of talented agents, and with everything that had happened last year, he was sure their grip on him would be tighter than ever.</p><p> </p><p>He walked until he couldn't hear voices anymore, and only when the dull silence of the observation tank settled on his shoulders did he manage to tame his pulse and slow his breathing. Atsumu's temper had always been a force to be reckoned with, but the length of his trigger was shorter than it had ever been before. It infuriated him; he didn't <em>want </em>to be so quick to loose his cool, nor did he think his squadron truly deserved to put up with it as well as they did. He'd spent long enough with the five of them to understand how good-intentioned they were - even Sakusa - despite how their wording might get twisted in his head. Daichi had always had a natural gift for diffusing arguments among them, but this topic was one that Atsumu just couldn't handle.</p><p> </p><p>"It's been a year, ya know." A small voice appeared in the hallway behind him, and Atsumu didn't have to turn his head to picture the narrowed, golden eyes and head full of unruly, orange hair.</p><p> </p><p>He shifted his weight forward on the bench and lifted his eyes to the large sheet of reinforced glass ahead of him, gazing out at the districts orbiting around the docking station. Behind them, millions of stars sprinkled the horizon; it was an observation riddled with a longing that he'd felt a thousand times before.</p><p> </p><p>"I know."</p><p> </p><p>"You can't keep blowing up on them like that."</p><p> </p><p>"I know."</p><p> </p><p>He was still mad, but he wouldn't take it out on someone who had nothing to do with it.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Natsu sighed, and after a few seconds of silence, joined him on the bench. Her feet, which didn't touch the ground, began to scuff back and forth across the floor in a swinging motion, occasionally bouncing off track to nudge the back of Atsumu's leg. She let out another huff, and when he finally looked over at her, she'd jutted out her bottom lip and drawn her eyebrows together in a pouty expression. Placing her hands on her hips, she cleared her throat and sat up straight, uttering out in a low, cracking voice, "You know he means well."</p><p> </p><p>The corners of his lips twitched. "Yer Sawamura impression still needs some work, ya know."</p><p> </p><p>Natsu giggled and locked her fingers together in her lap, bobbing her head up and down. "It's true, though! Just because Sakusa can be an asshole-"</p><p> </p><p>"Ah, ah, ah!" Atsumu's hands flew up and he shook them at her in a scolding manner, reaching over to squeeze her cheeks. "No cursing!"</p><p> </p><p>Natsu's lips curled, and she leaned far enough forward to gaze up at his face, a frown etched into her features. "You curse all the time."</p><p> </p><p>"Well, I'm an adult." Slowly, the tension on his face began to melt into a teasing smile, and he reached over to ruffle the orange plumes on Natsu's head. "I have more life skills."</p><p> </p><p>She shoved his hand away, flinging at back at his lap. "But my success rate-" <br/> </p><p>"Luck."</p><p> </p><p>"And last quarter, my firing rate-"</p><p> </p><p>"One-hit-wonder."</p><p> </p><p>"And the team likes me bet-"</p><p> </p><p>"Hey, that's low!" Atsumu huffed at her and crossed his arms, shaking his head defiantly. "Yer supposed to be cheerin' me up here, ya know."</p><p> </p><p>A soft laugh bubbled from her lips and Natsu's retorts fell off, leaving the two of them to gaze out the observation window ahead of them. A faint, blue light illuminated their figures in the dimly-lit room, radiating off of the processing hardware on the receiver a few kilometers from the docking station. Truthfully, Atsumu wished to wash his hands of all of this tech and find a quiet, remote place to call home; Ancora was his home, but he often found that he'd grown jaded of the ever-bustling streets and light pollution. On some missions, he liked to think that the places they'd logged were destinations for him to return to and settle someday.</p><p> </p><p>"I miss him, too." Natsu's voice was quiet.</p><p> </p><p>While talk of Osamu usually sent Atsumu off the deep-end, Natsu was perhaps the one person he could truly confide in about his feelings regarding the matter. After all, he and his brother had known her since she was incredibly young, and she'd always taken to them like two older siblings; she and Osamu had been very close. The thought made a rock form in the pit of his stomach.</p><p> </p><p>"I think…" The tremble in her voice is what pulled him to look at her, and at that moment, Natsu really looked as young as she was. She glanced hopefully at the window and continued, "I think he's out there. He's smart. I'm sure he found some way to survive." Her lips shifted, and Atsumu could tell that she was holding back her own emotions.</p><p> </p><p>"Yeah." He nudged her leg with his and followed her eyes towards the view, looking past the orbitals to the stars sprinkling the horizon behind them. It had been almost exactly a year since his twin brother's squadron had disappeared out of thin air while on a mission, and a little over six months since they'd retrieved three bodies from the missing six. His brother had not been one of them. "'Samu wouldn't die like that." His jaw was set in a tight line. "He's a resilient bastard."</p><p> </p><p>"It's because of the dreams, right?" Natsu was looking down at her hands. "That's why you try to get Tetsu to increase the stasis dosage?"</p><p> </p><p>"I think I just feel guilty." A bitter laugh forced its way from his throat. "Bein' here, safe, with food and warmth. I think about him stranded out there somewhere without his comrades or supplies and my brain short-circuits. Dreamin' about him makes stasis feel a lifetime long."</p><p> </p><p>"It kinda is," Natsu admitted, nudging his arm. "But…that kind of stuff is dangerous, 'Tsumu. If something happened, Tetsu would feel exactly how you feel about 'Samu - maybe worse." She took a deep breath, and then turned to him with one of her famous sunshine smiles, adding, "If he's out there, we have to find him, and we can't find him if something happens to you, okay?"</p><p> </p><p>His lips twitched again, and slinging an arm around her shoulders, Atsumu nagged, "Since when are ya so wise, ya little gremlin?"</p><p> </p><p>Laughing, Natsu freed herself from his grasp and stood, offering him a hand. "I've always been wise! I'm a genius, you know."</p><p> </p><p>"Uh-huh." Atsumu chuckled and took her hand, using his other to push himself up onto his own two feet. "I jus' think Kiyoko is rubbin' off on ya."</p><p> </p><p>"Maybe." She jabbed her finger into his chest and let out a pouty huff. "I mean it, though. You have to use your head. I…" Natsu swallowed, breaking eye contact and messing with the straps on her jacket. "If we're gonna find him, I need you here, safe, okay?"</p><p> </p><p>"I hear ya." Atsumu placed a hand on her back and gently nudged her towards the doorway. He knew that it was more of an admission than she was letting on, and like a breath of fresh air, Natsu's sentiment seemed to clear the last bit of emotion clouding his brain. She was right, after all. "Let's head back, ya gremlin."</p><p> </p><p>"I'm not a gremlin!" She stepped past him and trotted towards the door, disappearing into the hallway without so much as a second glance in his direction. Her voice echoed down the hallway after her as she called, "And hurry up, or I won't show you my snack stash!"</p><p> </p><p>A chuckle slipped between his lips, which had shifted into something shy of a grin. For a moment, he watched her retreating form disappear around the corner before he finally allowed himself a deep breath, and in those few seconds of silence, he murmured, "Thanks, kid."</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>━━━━━━━━━ ☼  ━━━━━━━━━</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>GHEVRA - </b>
  <em>Azuros.</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>An eerie silence hung on their shoulders as they traversed the stone steps that stretched far ahead of them, gradually climbing steeper and steeper. The size of the steps was significant - many yards wide and impossibly long - yet seemed almost minuscule in comparison to the great stone arches that sat, affixed, to stone pillars on either side of the pathway. They blended seamlessly into the parting rock on either side and for all intents and purposes, it appeared as though whoever had created the staircase to the sept had carved it from the very rock that composed the mountain.</p><p> </p><p>Clouds dangled low on the horizon, breaking across them as they continued upward, and were he not riddled with anxiety about what awaited him at the climax of the mountain, Shōyō might have reached out a hand to touch them. The moss under his feet was cool and damp, pressing softly into his skin as if trying to provide him comfort; his feet were bare, but that was a consistent choice for him. He liked to feel grounded to the earth beneath him. Often, that connection brought him warmth and the same unbridled calm that he inspired in those around him.</p><p> </p><p>Today, however, the earth was silent. His feet felt at odds beneath him, and the stones felt more harsh against his skin than usual. There were no birds perusing the summit in the air above them, nor were there any curious creatures peeking out from the gaps in stone at them. It seemed as though the world waited with bated breath.</p><p> </p><p>It was not an easy climb for most, but Shōyō and Kenma reached the summit with ease. The clouds were thicker at this height, and the stone walls on either side of the path gave way to luscious greenery and a flat, expansive platform. On either side of the plateau, the ground gave way into a freefall into the valley beneath, where rolling waterfalls and bubbling creeks carved the rocks through expert paths. Even from here, Shōyō could usually hear the calls of the creatures that had made their homes far below - it was a thriving ecosystem, particularly abundant due to the proximity of the sept, and often only added to the serenity of this place. Still, however, Shōyō noticed the eerie silence.</p><p> </p><p>There was a bird-like creature he'd never seen before perched on the garden wall.</p><p> </p><p>"Kenma." Shōyō drew a hand in front of his companion, bringing the blonde to a stop at his side. Kenma had taken notice of the creature, as well, but rather than gazing at it curiously as Shōyō did, he studied it with narrow eyes and a still chest - assessing the threat, most likely, but not in a malicious way. Rather, Kenma always seemed to look at things as though he were analyzing the scenario from an outside perspective and evaluating the best course of action for the best outcome. Kei always teased that it was because Kenma hated to lose, but Shōyō knew that there was more to it than that.</p><p> </p><p>The creature let out a sound, and both of them glanced at one another. It was bird-like in features, but incredibly different from the small figures they usually glimpsed dancing on the wind far above. It had a sharp beak and large, piercing eyes, with feathers that crested upwards and conformed around the large ears that sat atop its head, swiveling in their direction to make sense of their every move. From the backs of its ears, long feathers sprouted out and fell behind its head, creating an almost mohawk shape along the length of its long, slender neck. Despite its massive wings and owl-like face, its body seemed more feline, with a dense chest and shoulders and four legs adorned with long, sharp talons. The long feathers became incredibly dense at the base of its neck, and from that messy patch sprouted two great wings folded delicately against its spine. Its tail was also feline in both nature and behavior, flicking behind it with a mind of its own, but presented the same unruly feathers as its neck.</p><p> </p><p>"It's an azon," The redhead murmured breathlessly, gazing at the creature in awe. It watched them with intense scrutiny, dipping its horned head and scenting the breeze. Even from this distance, Shōyō could see the way its pupils dilated and contracted around piercing, rust-hued irises as it assessed their presence. It appeared curious and cautious, but not quite hostile.</p><p> </p><p>Kenma hung back as Hinata approached, and the redhead was sure to extend his hands where the creature could see them. A soft, welcoming smile that spread up to his eyes resided on his face. The creature tilted its head at him, the motions sudden and bird-like. With each step he took, he could see tension rolling through the azon's feathers, but the avian made no attempts to flee or showed any true signs of aggression. It, like everything else, seemed to be waiting with suspended breath.</p><p> </p><p>"It's alright," Shōyō cooed, only a few feet from the creature now. Here, he could study it in great detail, and he realized with a warm feeling in his chest that the azon was young and beautiful, with feather patterns unlike any other he'd seen before. It shifted its legs beneath its weight before climbing fully off of the wall, approaching him with its head low and eyes fixated on his hands.</p><p> </p><p>They gazed at one another for a few, silent seconds before it let out a quiet chirp, and only then did Shōyō bring his fingers to its face and stroke tenderly behind its ears. That touch alone filled him with warmth; almost instantaneously, a surge of thoughts and information flooded through his hand and into his body, painting images, thoughts, and feelings across his eyelids. It was part of his gift, but it was never any less overwhelming.</p><p> </p><p>"Komi." The name fell from his lips as if he'd known it beforehand, and the azon tilted its head towards him, pupils dilating in response. It shifted its weight to press its head into his chest, and only then did the feelings hiding underneath its confusion and messy array of thoughts prevail. Suddenly, Shōyō found himself filled with a nauseating sense of dread and grief emanating from the creature at his feet. Its chirps became more sorrowful and harsh-sounding, as if it were calling out to someone.</p><p> </p><p>He understood.</p><p> </p><p>His eyes were blurry and glazed as he crouched to Komi's level, gathering the creature up in his arms and pressing soft, soothing circles into the feathered patch above the base of its wings. It bristled against him before settling entirely, using its talons to cling to the fabric of his tunic and climb its way up. He did his best not to mind the sharp sting of its claws against his skin while Komi wrapped himself around Shōyō's shoulders and curled his tail around his bicep for support. A comforting warmth began to spread throughout his skin, seeping from him into the creature that had made a home of him. With a sorrowful sigh, the azon seemed to have made peace with the new arrangement.</p><p> </p><p>Kenma was watching him with a small, unabashed smile. It wasn't an expression he wore often, but there was a great degree of understanding and acknowledgement between the two of them, and Shōyō found that Kenma opened up to him more than most. He wasn't emotionless, despite what others seemed to think; rather, he was sparing with how he outwardly expressed them. Of course, it wasn't an uncommon disposition for his kind: unlike Shōyō and the rest of the Vanai'I, Kenma - and many of their other comrades - were Basai'I, meaning they bore the great responsibility of restoring the world order and guiding lost souls or energies to their rightful home. Whereas Hinata and his kind were healers and life-givers, Kenma and the Basai'I were recyclers and reapers. Both of them had seen a great many horrors, but it had been some time since Shōyō had been tasked with looking a grieving individual in the eyes and telling them that their time was up. For Kenma, it had been days.</p><p> </p><p>"We have to hurry, Shō," He said softly, drawing up beside the redhead. Kenma gazed at the creature with curiosity burning in his golden eyes before reaching a tentative finger up, scratching the azon under the chin. It responded with a chirp, inclining its head into his touch and dilating its pupils at him. His fond smile returned. "I'm not sure where he came from."</p><p> </p><p>Hinata let out a knowing hum. "The azon are Nathema natives. He didn't come with you?"</p><p> </p><p>Kenma's smile dissipated into a grim line. He gave a jerk of his head and his hair fell like a curtain over his eyes, shielding his expression. "No, I was on guide duty. Kei was on recovery."</p><p> </p><p>Shōyō's face contorted, and he placed a hand on Kenma's arm. He said nothing, knowing that words alone wouldn't change what had happened, but the small comfort seemed to alleviate some of the tension drawn up in Kenma's shoulders.</p><p> </p><p>"He probably belongs with them, then. Let's go." They nodded at one another and breached the final flight of steps up into the great, ornate stone building, covered in moss and flowers and stretching far above the platform. Sunlight cast brilliant light down on the structure, illuminating the energy core at the back, where luminous, blue light emanated in every direction. It would have been a beautiful sight, were it not for the heaviness in the air.</p><p> </p><p>Kōshi was waiting for them just inside, with a tender look on his face and his hands drawn together in front of him. A white, tapered robe hung from his shoulders in long, pooling ripples of fabric, appearing less like he'd dressed himself and more like the article of clothing was nothing but an extension of his pale skin. His hazel eyes were lit with something familiar, and the two of them could feel the radiant energy pulsing off of him. It felt as though they'd stepped into somewhere safe.</p><p> </p><p>"Shōyō," Kōshi breathed, a warm smile pulling at his lips. His eyes trailed from the redhead's face to the creature atop his shoulders, and although his eyes grew sadder, his expression didn't falter. He was far more practiced and unyielding than Shōyō could ever hope to be. "I see you met Komi."</p><p> </p><p>"He was waiting outside." Shōyō looked past the older Vanai'I, trying to catch a glimpse of the archway into the sept far behind him. The front room was low-lit and quiet, with candles burning and aromas he knew well wafting about; it was more of a greeting room than anything else, although they'd had little need - or time - for taking such precautions as of late. Now, it had become more of an aside room for hushed conversations and whispered regrets, neither of which Shōyō felt entirely comfortable engaging in.</p><p> </p><p>The white-haired Vanai'I dipped his head and turned on his heel, murmuring over his shoulder, "Follow me."</p><p> </p><p>Shōyō and Kenma obliged with bated breath.</p><p> </p><p>The sept unfolded in front of them as they entered the room, with giant, hollow ceilings and an extensive, open floorplan that was only interrupted by the occasional cluster of furniture. The walls were obstructed by large bookcases filled to the brim with texts in thousands of languages, and above them, artifacts and art pieces sat proudly on shelves of stone. At the very end of the room, the wall opened in a massive, spherical shape and exposed the cluster of energy suspended in the air behind the sept, with great stone pillars surrounding it to stabilize its mass. The warm, blue light filtered into the great hall and washed everything in the same tint, giving the place a much more ethereal feel than it already possessed.</p><p> </p><p>Kōshi continued forward, and at the base of the steps below the opening far ahead of them, Shōyō could make out four figures. Three of them were crouched on the mossy stone, with baskets and candles positioned between them. The fourth figure, he realized, lay flat on the ground at their feet, with his head propped up on a bundle of soft fabric. As they made their approach, he could see that the man's eyes were drawn up tightly, as if he were in pain.</p><p> </p><p>"Welcome, Shōyō," A kind voice said, and he pried his eyes upward from the man to find Tadashi's smiling face. He was positioned at the man's side with his palms pressed flat to his chest, guiding soft, white light up and down the length of the man's torso. "Thanks for coming."</p><p> </p><p>On the man's left side, Kei watched Tadashi with an intent look in his eyes, his bottom lip drawn agonizingly between his teeth. As Kenma had said, Kei had been the one to bring the man back to Ghevra, so it was likely that despite his apathetic exterior, he was waiting anxiously for the status of the survivor's health. Kei was good at appearing uncaring, but they knew better than most how much responsibility he placed on himself, and by extension, how hard he took it when his recoveries didn't go as planned.</p><p> </p><p>Shōyō nodded and stood at the man's feet, following Tadashi's handiwork with his eyes. The man appeared similar in age to the rest of them, although Shōyō knew that meant nothing. He was hundreds of years old and often mistaken for a teenager due to his height; figures like Kōshi and Asahi were nearly at the millennia mark and looked like nothing more than young adults. It was more common for their kind, of course, but that hardly meant it wasn't possible for this man.</p><p> </p><p>"There." Tadashi's voice fell like a prayer from his lips and he sat back on his heels, flexing his fingers out in front of him. "He's alright now. He should wake up soon." Although it was a statement meant for all of them, the green-haired Vanai'I had his eyes firmly planted on the blonde Basai'I across from him.</p><p> </p><p>Kei nodded in relief and seemed to settle, releasing the tension from his posture. "Good."</p><p> </p><p>Tadashi smiled that friendly, brilliant smile of his and rounded the man on the ground, grasping for Kei's arm and pushing him gently towards the archway. "Now that you have nothing to worry about, it's your turn."</p><p> </p><p>Kei frowned, looking at the shorter man with mock disgust. "My turn?"</p><p> </p><p>"You think I didn't notice?" Tadashi jabbed the blonde in the gut and Kei immediately responded with a pained huff of air, his face twisting even further. "Just because you're not bleeding doesn't mean you're okay. That mission was a lot, so let's check just to be sure, okay?"</p><p> </p><p>Kei let out another huff, but reluctantly allowed Tadashi to loop his arm through his and guide him towards the archway. He'd put on the show well, but all of them knew how little resistance the Basai'I was capable of putting up when it came to his green-haired companion. The two of them were often together and impossibly close, and that small show of familiarity was enough to draw a sigh of relief from everyone in the room. It had been a much-needed pin in the tension.</p><p> </p><p>With the two of them gone, Shōyō and Kenma took their places on either side of the man, inevitably allowing their gazes to settle on the third figure. He wasn't looking at them, too intent on whispering words of a familiar lullaby and massaging aromatic oils into the man's temples and down to his neck. It seemed that with each push of his fingers, some of the constriction in the man's face faded away.</p><p> </p><p>It was always awe-inspiring to watch the Qaevrix work. Unlike Ehjih, Akaashi was of the <em>Ciqik </em>race, meaning he appeared much more humanoid than other Qaevrithi counterparts. Rather than fur, claws, and long, pointed teeth, Keiji sported ears, a tail, and piercing eyes. He'd come from a village of particularly elusive <em>Ciqik </em>known for their expertise in herbal remedy, and it had only taken him weeks after arriving in Ghevra to master combinations of the local flora.</p><p> </p><p>It was Kenma who spoke this time. "I'm surprised to find you here, Keiji."</p><p> </p><p>Keiji looked up then, angular, blue eyes settling on the two of them with an unfocused glaze. It seemed he'd been so intent on the task in his hands, he hadn't fully registered their appearance at his side. "He was very distraught when <em>Mek'na </em>Kei brought him back," Akaashi said quietly, silken voice pleasant in the quiet air, "So I was summoned. It took time, but now he is resting." The raven-haired Qaevrix motioned to the basket of oils next to him, and Shōyō felt something sorrowful twist in his gut. Seeming to mirror his feelings, Keiji lowered his silken ears and averted his gaze.</p><p> </p><p>"As you can see," Kōshi spoke from above them, gazing down at the man on the floor, "The Uphraed's wounds weren't the only issue. His tether is very weak."</p><p> </p><p>Understanding washed over him. The Uphraeds - also known as Changelings - were the main inhabiting species native to Nathema, and from what he remembered, each member of their species was born with an essence tethered to them. They were a natural-living species with a great understanding of their home planet, and lived harmoniously with the world around them; their tethers kept them grounded and connected them to the planet, but it also made them responsible for that essence, so if the thing they'd been tethered to were to die…Shōyō swallowed.</p><p> </p><p>"What was he tethered to before?" Kenma asked the question that was stuck in Shōyō's throat.</p><p> </p><p>"It appears that he has a spring essence." Kōshi crossed his arms and tilted his head, shifting the fabric of his robes. "I was surprised; it's not often you find an Uphraed with such a large tether. That must be why it's affecting him so greatly."</p><p> </p><p>"What about Komi?" Shōyō motioned to the creature resting on his shoulders, and only then did he realize that Komi had fallen asleep.</p><p> </p><p>"I believe he's his companion." The white-haired Vanai'I crouched down, studying the azon with intent warmth. "Kei said that he wouldn't leave him alone after he took Kōtarō, so he had to bring them both."</p><p> </p><p><em>So that's his name, </em>Hinata thought, gazing at the man in front of him. Between Keiji's arms, Hinata could make out locks of silver and black hair, brushed back from the man's face and glistening with what could only be more of the healer's oils.<em> Kōtarō.</em></p><p> </p><p>They were all silent for a long, drawn-out moment. Kōshi didn't need to explain why he'd summoned Shōyō, and Shōyō didn't need to ask. They all knew with heavy certainty that Shōyō's talents very well might be the only thing capable of saving the Uphraed; if his tether was weakening, he'd need a new one, else his soul might be consumed in a fatal attempt at self-preservation. Tethers were a wondrous but impossibly obstinate force in their world, and should Kōtarō not receive his help, he likely wouldn't survive the night.</p><p> </p><p>All of the Vanai'I were talented in many ways, but Shōyō expressed a mastery of soul tethers that none of their comrades could deny. Any of them, including Tadashi or Kōshi, were capable of generic tether repair, but more delicate situations like this required a keener eye; he was the only one available to do this.</p><p> </p><p>"When he wakes up," Kōshi added, "Take him to the nexus. It might be best if you bring Keiji with you." His smile turned more tender. "He was the only one that could calm him down, so it should help."</p><p> </p><p>"I understand." Shōyō crossed his legs in front of him and took a place by Keiji's side, settling in to share the wait until Kōtarō woke up. "I'll find you afterwards."</p><p> </p><p>The older Vanai'I nodded. "Kenma and I will be with Asahi in the lower level. There's-" He heaved a heavy sigh, showing the first crack in his composure, "Unfortunately, there's a lot to be sorted. Takeda has been with Her for a couple of days now." He offered Shōyō a final nod and turned, pressing a hand to Kenma's shoulder. The Basai'I dipped his head apologetically at Shōyō before turning to follow, his apathetic expression already returning to his face. In a matter of seconds, they'd disappeared from the room, leaving Shōyō and Keiji in a silence not quite as heavy as before.</p><p> </p><p>"Will he be alright?" Keiji asked quietly, hands pausing on either side of Kōtarō's face. Shōyō had never seen him in this state before.</p><p> </p><p>Mustering a warm, reassuring smile, Shōyō flashed him a thumbs up and nodded eagerly, stating, "Don't worry, Keiji! He's going to be fine."</p><p> </p><p>In all of the uncertainty and turmoil surrounding them these days, this much Shōyō could offer without hesitation: if nothing else, he was determined to help the man in front of him.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>━━━━━━━━━ ☾ ━━━━━━━━━</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <b>UNKNOWN LOCATION - </b>
  <em>Azuros.</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"I didn't expect it to be so green!" There was a spark in Natsu's eyes that he'd seen a thousand times before, and Atsumu couldn't help the lopsided smile that tugged at the corners of his lips as he sat back against the walls of the compartment, enjoying her over-ambitious reactions to the world outside of the reinforced window.</p><p> </p><p>They'd left stasis and reached outer orbit a couple of hours ago, and most of the time spent since had been on developing a proper course of action for when they grew close enough to begin collecting data. Atsumu had a tablet on his lap, and as the others worked diligently on their respective tasks, he kept keen eyes on the statistics running across the screen. All systems were working properly - as he'd expect, considering how mind-bogglingly expensive this craft was - and thus far, the relay systems he'd set up before hand had had no issues with adjusting to the change in atmosphere. Surprisingly, the makeup of this planet's atmosphere was alarmingly close to the one they had back home.</p><p> </p><p>All of the tension they'd built before leaving had dissipated thanks to Natsu and Daichi's efforts, and their entire squadron seemed to be worked at maximum efficiency. Upon returning, Sakusa had begrudgingly offered Atsumu what he suspected to be an apology, of all things, and Atsumu had returned the same sentiment to all of them. He was stubborn and abnormally adept at making an ass of himself, but Atsumu respected this group enough to know when to make amends. Besides, he didn't think Sawamura's patience could handle any more tension among them.</p><p> </p><p>"Huh," He mumbled, highlighting a task window and quadruple-checking the words in front of him.</p><p> </p><p>Kuroo was seated on the floor of the craft in front of him, working on a machine that he used for data calibration. It was a new prototype that Atsumu had done the initial design for that looked rather similar to a large, long-beaked bird, with a sleek back exterior and the occasional glimpse of the glowing components stored inside. It was pressure-resistant, remote-controlled, and had a high storage capacity that allowed Kuroo to gather samples from orbit rather than needing to be on the ground.</p><p> </p><p>He paused, sample tubes stuck between his fingers, and cast a glance over his shoulder at the blonde. With a quirk of his eyebrow, he entertained, "Find something?"</p><p> </p><p>His question caught the rest of the squadron's attention - save for Natsu, who was still occupying herself with the growing view of the planet - and suddenly Atsumu felt almost bashful, having not prepared himself for such intense scrutiny. The atmosphere between them was far more tense and professional than it had been back home, and while Atsumu knew better than anyone how thrilling new missions could be - he'd been regularly scolded for being <em>too </em>intense about it, as he possessed an animalistic hunger when it came to the wealth of information waiting to be discovered in the world - he couldn't deny that this tension felt different. Rather than biting back their anticipation, it was as if the lot of them were biding their time, waiting for something to happen…But what, he wasn't sure of.</p><p> </p><p>"Uh," Atsumu replied dumbly, fondling the tablet in his lap and lifting it to them, pointing to the highlighted window, "Jus' that the atmosphere here is really similar to Volaris. 'S weird, is all." Kuroo nodded in understanding, but Daichi and Sakusa were looking at him with narrowed eyes, so Atsumu continued. "Okay, ya see this screen?" He pointed to the one on the left, which read <b>HQ </b>in big, bold letters. Beneath, there was a bar graph with various levels of certain chemical components. "The main components in the atmosphere back home are nitrogen, oxygen, and argon, right? We're carbon-based creatures, so we function really well on that. If ya look here," He motioned to the next screen, where the new planet's data was displayed, "The components are the same, but that's not all. The percentages are almost identical." Sure enough, the bars on the new planet's graphic were frighteningly similar to the bars on that of their home planet's.</p><p> </p><p>Daichi inclined his head to the side, soaking in the information like a dry sponge inside of a bathtub. "So what does that mean?"</p><p> </p><p>Atsumu pursed his lips, humming in consideration. "Well, it could be nothin'. You know how the climate changes a lot back home? Like…the air in the capital is a lot different than the outer districts?" It was true; in the capital, the air was more regulated and easier for humans to breathe, but it had long been an issue with taking foreigners a long time to adjust. In the outer districts where more foreigners made their homes and the natural wildlife of their planet flourished, the atmosphere became harder for humans to breathe - although not impossible - but the natural flora seemed to handle it better. It had long been a subject for review in the scientific community of Volaris.</p><p> </p><p>Sakusa nodded, crossing his arms. He was sat on the benches to the left of the window, across from Atsumu and on the other side of Kuroo's mechanical mess. "Right. Something about the gravitational pull and orbit patterns changing the climate, right?"</p><p> </p><p>Kuroo snorted. He'd always had his own opinions about the, as he called it, 'bullshit' that representative scientists from Volaris spouted, but he seemed to get that now was not the time to argue the points he'd already made a thousand times.</p><p> </p><p>Atsumu flashed him a look and then continued, giving a roll of his shoulders, "Ah, well, sorta. Kuroo's not wrong-"</p><p> </p><p>The rooster-haired man grinned wickedly, and Sakusa looked as though Atsumu had sprouted new limbs. It couldn't have been <em>that </em>rare that he agreed with them…right?</p><p> </p><p>He rolled his eyes. "-<em>Anyways, </em>Kuroo isn't wrong about how it doesn't make a whole lotta sense. Think about it this way: in the outer districts, there's not a ton'a infrastructure or settlements, right? The atmosphere is sorta hard for us to handle, but the other organisms handle it just fine. If there's no machinery out there changin' the air like there is in the capital, that would kinda suggest that that's the <em>natural </em>atmosphere, right?"</p><p> </p><p>Kuroo was far too pleased for his taste, but Atsumu supposed he could let him have this one. He was very reluctant to admit it out loud, but Kuroo was brilliant when it came to this kind of thing, and his ego was well-earned. Atsumu likely wouldn't have caught on to this strange phenomenon were it not for suffering through hundreds of Kuroo's conspiracy rants.</p><p> </p><p>Sakusa and Daichi both nodded in understanding. Kiyoko didn't react, but the sharp focus in her eyes told him that she was listening.</p><p> </p><p>Kuroo shoved a sample bottle into place and narrowed his eyes at the other two men. "What, so you listen when he's explaining it?"</p><p> </p><p>Daichi fixed him with a stare, and almost immediately, Kuroo shut his mouth and returned to the task in his hands. Still, that didn't stop a pleased smirk from tugging at the corners of his mouth; even if he wasn't the one explaining it, he was clearly happy that <em>someone </em>had been retaining the information he'd drilled into them and applying it to something factual.</p><p> </p><p>Sakusa tapped his fingers impatiently. "Miya, please get to the point."</p><p> </p><p>Atsumu grumbled and flipped an unpleasant gesture at the dark-haired agent, earning another hard look from their captain. He groaned and ran a gloved hand through his hair, holding up the tablet again. "We have these systems in the capital - or any settlements, really - that perform this thing called <em>electrolysis. </em>Basically, uh, it runs electricity that we get from solar power through water, and that way, it separates the molecules and makes those environments more rich in oxygen, which - obviously - is what we breathe. That's why settlements are easier to live in and the outer districts are exhaustin'. The difference in the atmosphere isn't <em>crazy</em>, but it's enough 'ta be weird."</p><p> </p><p>"So you do listen, 'Tsumu. I'm touched." Kuroo flashed him that wicked grin again and motioned to a box in the corner, in which he'd stored samples from plants back home in order to compare survivability; after all, the planet was useless if they couldn't survive here. "To us, it just feels a little harder to breathe in the outer districts, like you've just exercised a lot or you're at a high elevation. Plants and animals are more sensitive to it."</p><p> </p><p>Atsumu nodded, too focused on what he was explaining to make a typical jab at Kuroo's comment. "The oxygen-rich atmosphere we thrive in back home is simulated, ya could say. But on this planet, it's completely natural. I might've thought it's just'a coincidence, if the percentages weren't so damn close." He scratched at the back of his head, slightly sheepish at how close he sounded to Kuroo's usual conspiracies. "I guess it could be."</p><p> </p><p>Much to his surprise, it was Natsu who spoke then, all fiery-eyed and excitable. "So it's kinda like this planet is perfect for us, then!"</p><p> </p><p>Sakusa seemed to understand what Atsumu was getting at, and pointed a fixed glare between the small redhead and her bleach-blonde cohort. "I'd say our universe is a little too large for 'perfect'."</p><p> </p><p>They all hummed in agreement. Typically, it would be the opposite; one would think that with such a vast world, the likelihood of finding something so similar was rather high. However, as they all knew well enough by now, that was making the assumption that it was a vast universe full of combinations of the same things. Rather, it was a vast universe full of things they'd never even dreamt of. The likelihood of finding a perfect combination of components that they were already familiar with was surprisingly low.</p><p> </p><p>Like clockwork, Daichi murmured words of dismissal and started back towards the head of the craft, intent on adjusting their flight course to finally pull them into the target range for their orbit sequence. They all watched him go, and as soon as he'd disappeared, Sakusa fixed his eyes on Atsumu once more.</p><p> </p><p>"You said this could be coincidence?"</p><p> </p><p>Atsumu nodded, but his lips drew together in distaste; writing this off in such a way didn't feel right to him. "It's possible."</p><p> </p><p>Kuroo snorted, using a pair of pliers in his hand to pry a metal cover off of a component. "There are no coincidences."</p><p> </p><p>"Omi, is there any historical data for this planet?" Atsumu glanced up at the raven-haired man across from him, shifting the weight of the tablet between his hands. He was tip-toeing around his point again, but he couldn't help it; the thought resting on the back of his tongue was one that might cause discourse, and while Atsumu usually had no trouble speaking his mind, this felt off-limits.</p><p> </p><p>Sakusa inclined his head. "No."</p><p> </p><p>"I jus' think that's weird." He sighed, giving the data on his screen a once-over again. "It's an alpha-grade mission but there isn't a touch-down. We have no information, and stuff like this," He held the tablet up, "Feels weird. We've never gone into a mission with <em>nothing </em>before, right?"</p><p> </p><p>Kuroo was shaking his head. "No, it's definitely weird. Almost makes me wanna touch-down anyways."</p><p> </p><p>"This is a very dangerous conversation to be having so casually." It was a feminine voice, and when the three of them looked up, Kiyoko was standing in the archway of the hutch with a stack of books propped on her arms. She didn't seem to be scolding them, but the coolness of her words gave Atsumu pause.</p><p> </p><p>"What do you think, Kiyoko?" Sakusa asked, much to Atsumu and Kuroo's surprise.</p><p> </p><p>She was silent for a moment, seemingly weighing the words on her tongue, before she gave them a curt nod and settled down against the wall beside Natsu. "As you know," She responded quietly, "I try to prepare cultural documents before each mission so that we can properly evaluate a planet." They all nodded, and she continued, "That way, if we encounter the inhabitants, we can approach them properly and show them proper respect."</p><p> </p><p>"Right," Tetsu responded, "But this planet is uninhabited. We have no info."</p><p> </p><p>"Precisely," Kiyoko affirmed, using the tip of her finger to adjust her glasses on her face, "So, I suppose I find it odd that there are so many documents about it."</p><p> </p><p>His hands froze in his lap. "Documents?"</p><p> </p><p>Kiyoko hummed in confirmation. "Natsu and I were in the administrative district to finish up work yesterday before the briefing, and I stopped in the records wing to try and gather some materials-"</p><p> </p><p>"Oh, yeah!" Natsu, who's focus on the window seemed to have finally been broken, plopped onto the ground beside Kiyoko and bobbed her head up and down. "The clerk there knows us! He always unlocks the break room for me while Kiyoko studies."</p><p> </p><p>"Mhm." Kiyoko shifted the documents on her lap and grabbed a folder, fumbling through the page corners with her thumb. "He allows me to use the classification program to find materials, so I ran a few keyword searches. As you'd imagine, there is no information about the planet."</p><p> </p><p>"I sense a 'but' coming along." Atsumu was frowning, waiting for Kiyoko to get to the point.</p><p> </p><p>"I found materials regarding the same coordinates, just under a different name."</p><p> </p><p>Sakusa reflected Atsumu's expression. "Materials about this planet?"</p><p> </p><p>"I believe so." Kiyoko found the page it seemed she'd been looking for, and extended it in Kuroo's direction.</p><p> </p><p>"Why would an uninhabited, prospective colony with no data or prior settlements have a name already?"</p><p> </p><p>They were all silent for a moment, letting the weight of the question settle into the air around them. It didn't make any sense; as far as they all knew - and as Daichi had confirmed - this planet had no prior missions or settlements. It was new to them, for all intents and purposes, which was why they'd been sent on this mission in the first place.</p><p> </p><p>It was Kuroo who finally broke the suspended silence. "That's not the question we should be asking."</p><p> </p><p>"What?" Atsumu drew his eyebrows together, flashing Kuroo a puzzled expression.</p><p> </p><p>Kuroo held up the paper, pointing to the printed results that Kiyoko had captured on the records log. It wasn't a document, but rather a screenshot of the loaded results, all of which were outlined in red. Kuroo pointed to the red lines, an unreadable look on his face, "Why would an uninhabited, prospective colony with no data or prior settlements have files with a level ten security clearance?"</p><p> </p><p>"Level <em>ten?</em>" Natsu's eyes widened, and she reached forward, swiping the paper from Kuroo's hands. He let out sounds of protest, but she'd already hopped to her feet and crossed the room, scanning it with rapid eye movements. "Isn't that high? We only have level five!"</p><p> </p><p>"It's not just high." Sakusa was eerily quiet. "That's the maximum level."</p><p> </p><p>"Ya mean to tell me that <em>data files </em>on an <em>empty planet </em>have that much security? What the hell for?" Atsumu couldn't help his irritated. If there had been files on the planet all along, he couldn't begin to understand the obscurity that had been wrapped around this mission from the beginning. "Surely the supervisors knew about this."</p><p> </p><p>"No." A familiar voice filtered into the conversation, and as if they'd been caught doing something they weren't supposed to, they all looked to Sawamura with wide eyes. "Even our supervisors only have level seven clearance."</p><p> </p><p>Kiyoko hummed in approval. "Level ten is only granted to the top minute percentage of government officials. It's not a clearance you're given easily."</p><p> </p><p>Atsumu was dumb-founded. "Just what the hell do these documents contain?"</p><p> </p><p>"It's a good question, but we don't have time for this right now." There was a grim line etched into Daichi's lips. Now that he'd regained the group's focus, Atsumu could see the stress rolling off of him. <em>Something is definitely wrong. </em>"We have a problem."</p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>More to come soon!</p><p>Feel free to yell at me on Twitter, @moonbeexx. I'll be doing my best to update regularly, but as I write whenever I'm inspired, I tend to throw in additional chapters or post early.</p><p>Thanks for reading!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter Three</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Kōtarō's lifeline is fading rapidly. Keiji and Shōyō must act fast.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>╔═══━━━─── • ───━━━═══╗</p><p>CHAPTER THREE</p><p>╚═══━━━─── • ───━━━═══╝</p><p>
  
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  <b>
    <span>GHEVRA. – </span>
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  <em>
    <span>Azuros. </span>
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  <span>The time spent waiting on the Uphraed to awaken felt as though it were stretched across an eternity. It was a bitter sort of waiting; the damage done to the Uphraed’s spirit was something he could not measure in his own terms, and without any exterior wounds for him to focus on, Keiji could hardly deny the shaking in his hands as he meticulously worked the oils into the crown of the man’s head. It would bring him comfort and nothing more, and for that small grace, Keiji supposed he was more grateful than he knew outright. </span>
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</p><p>
  <span>It was hard to discern why he cared for the man so much. Their encounters were limited to this one, and in the state that he had arrived, Keiji had hardly exchanged any words with him beyond attempts to calm him down. Perhaps it had been the wild look in his eyes, or the almost childlike way he had cried out to him, hands stretched far above his head as if begging for some small thread of hope to cling onto. </span>
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</p><p>
  <span>Try as he might, this was not a situation that he felt he could relate to, nor did he implore himself to try. It would do neither of them any good for him to pretend, after all. He knew few details of what had occurred on Nathema, but a single look at the emotions painted across Kōtarō’s sleeping face had been enough. It had been the look of a man with nothing left. </span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I think he’s awake.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The voice was soft, and it pulled Keiji from his thoughts enough to raise his gaze. He retracted his hands from the Uphraed’s hair and watched with fixed interest as his eyelids fluttered and his lips drew together in a frown. It was a pained expression, but not quite as potent with agony as the one he had seen before. </span>
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</p><p>
  <span>Still, his eyes did not open. </span>
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</p><p>
  <span>“False alarm.” Shōyō let out a soft sigh and crossed his legs beneath him, relaxing his posture back onto his hands. He seemed more at ease than Keiji felt capable of, and to a small degree, he envied him. He supposed this was not an unfamiliar situation for a Vanai’i like him, who had endured the trials of their world time and time again. Refugees arriving in Ghevra was a common phenomenon, and Shōyō and his people were the ones who took care of this place and its people. They all owed a great deal to the Vanai’i and Basai’i, which was why Keiji had offered his healing abilities to them to begin with. He could not quite put it into words, but he felt as though a great debt were owed to them. </span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Have you met an Uphraed before, Keiji?” Shōyō asked, looking to him with a small, warm smile. It was an expression he had seen many times. </span>
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</p><p>
  <span>He shook his head, emitting small jingles as the jewelry lining his ears settled into place. “I don’t know much about them, <em>Mek'na.</em>”</span>
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</p><p>
  <span>“Ah, seriously,” Shōyō shook his head, flashing Keiji a despairing look, “You and Ehjih are persistent. You don’t have to call me that.” </span>
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</p><p>
  <span>A ghost of a smile touched Keiji’s lips. “It’s not as though it’s an insult.” </span>
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  <span>“Still!” Shōyō jutted his bottom lip out and placed his hands on his knees to allow himself forward, a wild glint in his eyes. “We’re friends! It’s too formal!” </span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>A gentle laugh bubbled from Keiji’s chest, and he found himself extraordinarily grateful for the spontaneity of Shōyō’s spirit. In only a few seconds, he’d managed to ease some of the anxiety Keiji felt and soften the atmosphere around them, and in its place was a familiar comfort that Keiji could hold onto. They were friends, as he had said, so there was no use in harboring these burdensome feelings alone. </span>
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</p><p>
  <span>“So?” Keiji asked, inclining his head to the side. His eyelids were lowered, and he gazed at Shōyō through his eyelashes with fierce curiosity. Though not outspoken or bold in his own right, Keiji had always been an innately curious creature. “What do you know of the Uphraed?” </span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>There was something shining in the golden pools of Shōyō’s eyes when he gazed up at Keiji, and with fondness he had not possessed before, he began, “Nathema, where the Uphraed are from, is a nexus.” </span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Keiji’s eyes widened, and in the silence settling between them, he tore his gaze from his redheaded companion and looked far above, where the stone archways behind them turned to thin, delicate framework, allowing rays of ethereal blue light into the Sept. Beyond the Sept, suspended in the air above the cliff’s edge, was a ball of iridescent blue energy; its mass could be felt from where they sat, and though Keiji was amateur when it came to his knowledge of Shōyō’s people, he knew the power that such a thing held. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There’s more than one?” Keiji asked.</span>
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</p><p>
  <span>A bell-like laugh emerged from Shōyō’s throat. “There are thirteen of them. They tie us directly to I’ya. There’s one here on Azuros, one on Nathema, and one on Eawei, the home of the Vanai’i and Basai’i.” </span>
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</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I’ya </span>
  </em>
  <span>was a name that Keiji had heard on more than one occasion. The Vanai’i and Basai’i referred to her as the <em>Mother. </em>According to their myths, she had been their sole creator, and alongside them, had crafted everything else in the universe. It bore a striking similarity to the myths he shared among his people, only rather than a two-headed lioness, as the Qaevrix believed, the Vanai’i and Basai’i believed her two be a two-headed dragon. When he had first arrived in Azuros, it had seemed nothing more to him than an interesting reflection of his own beliefs, but he had seen far too much in the shadow of his present company to not consider the truth of it. </span>
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</p><p>
  <span>“What does that mean, then?” Keiji asked, his eyebrows drawing together in concern. “If Nathema is a nexus and it was taken, what does that mean for the Uphraed?” </span>
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</p><p>
  <span>“It means, -“A weak voice stirred between his hands, “That it’s gone.” It was hardly a whisper. “Everything is gone.” </span>
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  <span>A choked gasp tore itself free of Keiji’s throat. Beneath his hands, the Uphraed’s face was twisted in agony, and when he finally managed to pull his alabaster eyelashes free from one another, his piercing, golden eyes were shimmering with unshed tears. </span>
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</p><p>
  <span>He felt frozen in time. The blue light from the nexus seemed colder than before, and the shine of the oils he had worked into the Uphraed’s skin seemed more like sweat. His eyes were dull, and the skin beneath them was impossibly grey. </span>
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</p><p>
  <span>It felt as though Keiji could see the life leaving him. </span>
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  <span>“We have to move quickly.” Shōyō’s voice was hushed and stern. It sounded foreign to him. “Gather your supplies. I have to get him to the nexus.” </span>
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</p><p>
  <span>Something paralyzing gripped at him. His fingers shook against the Uphraed’s skin, and as their eyes locked, he felt as though the man were pleading with him. Such <em>fear, </em>such <em>agony, </em>pooling in the corners of the man’s eyes and leaking out onto his shimmering, golden skin. His lips moved but did not speak, and the dutiful rise and fall of his chest had grown slow. <em>He could not do this. </em>The cruel fingers of anxiety traveling up his spine wrapped themselves around his throat and squeezed, halting his breath like a rock in his throat. <em>He could not watch this man die. </em></span>
</p><p>
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  <span>“Keiji.” There were hands gripping at him, placing pressure on the soft points of both of his shoulders. “Keiji!” </span>
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  <em>
    <span>This man was really going to die. </span>
  </em>
  <span>He felt as though the golden eyes were trapping him, daring him to look away. <em>He was dying, right there in his arms. </em></span>
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</p><p>
  <span>“<em>Keiji!</em>” There were hands at both of his biceps. Shōyō sounded angry. “You have to get a grip! We don’t have time!” </span>
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</p><p>
  <span>The dazed sheen over his cerulean eyes subsided, and Keiji found himself blinking stupidly at the redhead crouched in front of him, only for the panic of the situation to hit him all at once. Without missing a beat, he shoved his robes to the side and got to his feet, cradling the Uphraed’s head between his hands. Shōyō was right there with him, balancing most of Kōtarō’s weight between both of his arms. He carried him as if he were nothing, and were he not so overwhelmed with the lifeline drawn between his hands, Keiji might have found himself gawking at how strong the Vanai’i was. </span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>The grass folded beneath the bare pads of his feet as they abandoned the Sept. Everything around them lay quiet and still, as if Kōtarō’s lifeline were a call to arms and the universe had stopped to listen. He could feel the draft from the cliff against the wet skin of his face, but the foliage twisting around the edges of his vision did not dare dance with it. </span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Kōtarō’s pained face was washed in blue light as they gently lowered him to the weathered stones beneath the nexus. Keiji was forced to stay close, as in their transport, Kōtarō had threaded his fingers through the fabric of Keiji’s robes and gripped so viciously at them that the color had bled from his knuckles. Shōyō had positioned himself on the Uphraed’s other side, and without wasting a moment, tore the fabric from his tunic and pressed his palms flat against the sweat-riddled surface of Kōtarō’s chest. </span>
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</p><p>
  <span>The air seemed to freeze around them. Keiji could no longer hear the river bubbling over the rocks far below the cliff, or the faint call of birds as they settled atop the ridges above; he could only hear his own heartbeat, the wheezing from Kōtarō’s throat, and the gentle hum of energy from the nexus above his head. </span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>It happened in a second. </span>
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</p><p>
  <span>Shōyō’s hands began to emit a soft, white glow, and the light traveled through his fingertips up his arm, exploding across his skin in a variety of characters from a language Keiji could not understand. The characters contracted and rippled up the curve of his shoulder, creating a ring around his neck and finally falling still along the sides of his face. When his eyelids peeled open, the golden hues Keiji knew well had been replaced by a similar light, only so primal and raw that Keiji felt compelled to cry out to him. </span>
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</p><p>
  <span>The hum of the nexus grew louder. Small trails of energy began to separate from its mass, traveling towards Shōyō and joining with the aura he had created around his hands. The energy flattened out and took on a circular shape, moving in wave-like motions across the surface of Kōtarō’s skin. Each time it seemed as though it would finally cave in and settle into him, the energy would retract. </span>
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</p><p>
  <span>“Kōtarō,” Shōyō said softly, looking towards the Uphraed’s face. He was met with a dull pair of golden eyes, and though he seemed to be clinging to the threshold of his consciousness, Kōtarō managed to focus on him. “I can’t do this unless you’re willing. You have to allow it.” </span>
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  <span>The Uphraed’s eyebrows drew together. A fresh pair of tears clung to his lash line. “But Nathema…- “ </span>
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</p><p>
  <span>It was a choked response. Keiji reactively placed a hand atop Kōtarō’s head, brushing his fingers over the places where his silver locks began to meld with soft, black feathers. Kōtarō’s gaze shifted towards him, and he inclined his head, clearly finding some comfort in the touch. </span>
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</p><p>
  <span>Keiji let loose a soft sigh. “You can’t help anyone if you’re dead,” He murmured, wiping some of the sweat from the Uphraed’s brow with his thumb. </span>
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</p><p>
  <span>There was a soft whine from behind them. The azon from before, momentarily abandoned by Shōyō on the grass, appeared at Keiji’s side. It pressed a tentative paw into Kōtarō’s side and inclined its head to press its beak into his hand, slitted eyes focused upward on him. Kōtarō’s eyes danced between the two of them, and when he gazed back up at Keiji, Keiji added, “There are still those that need you.” </span>
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  <span>With another choked groan, Kōtarō shifted his weight just enough to raise a hand, pressing his fingers into the side of the azon’s face. It seemed that that was all the answer Shōyō needed. </span>
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  <span>In that suspended quiet, as the four of them waited for the proper moment to arrive, the nexus exploded into a symphony of sound. </span>
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  <span>The energy around Shōyō’s hands fell into Kōtarō’s chest and expanded around him, surrounding him in a circle of pale blue light that seemed to fit to the very shape of him. The glow of the nexus became so bright that Keiji couldn’t bear to look at it, and the tendrils of energy began to take shape, emerging from it in giant, gliding patterns that seemed almost sentient. </span>
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</p><p>
  <span>A gasp tore itself from his throat. “Shōyō-“ </span>
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  <span>Shōyō’s brows were drawn together and his lips pressed in a firm line, with his tongue jutting out of the side in concentration. The same light encompassed him, as well, and with each swirl of his hands, the energy seemed to respond and shift places. As his fingers moved, a web of blue lines began to lace itself between them, like a net he had crafted out of thin air. In the center of the net was a small ball of golden light, rapidly beginning to flicker.</span>
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  <span>Somewhere in the dull recesses of his mind, Keiji thought about how easy it would be for that flame to go out. Like a pitiful whisper on the wind, his life could end, and the world might continue on without someone ever uttering the Uphraed’s name again. It was enough to make Keiji choke. </span>
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</p><p>
  <span>One of the strings in the net of energy between Shōyō’s was red. </span>
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</p><p>
  <span>“This is his tether,” Shōyō said, focusing the taught string between the tips of his fingers. When he pressed his fingers against the surface of it, he let out a sharp hiss, screwing his eyes shut. </span>
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</p><p>
  <span>It happened in a split second. Shōyō grasped the red string between his thumb and forefinger, and with a small, fluid motion in his wrist, pulled the string until it split in the middle. </span>
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</p><p>
  <span>Kōtarō let out a gasp and went lip, his eyes rolling back into his head. Keiji’s grip on his hair tightened. </span>
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</p><p>
  <span>“What happened?” Keiji asked, his voice riddled with panic, “Shōyō, he’s not moving.” He pressed his fingers into the sides of the Uphraed’s face, gently moving it back and forth. “Shōyō?” </span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>When Keiji glanced up at the Vanai’i, his breath halted in his throat.</span>
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</p><p>
  <span>In his panic, he hadn’t noticed the extraordinary change that had taken place around them. Shōyō was <em>glowing</em>; the ends of his hair were rippling, like iridescent flames springing forth out of his head. The folds of fabric on his shoulders moved in the same way, pooling around him and swaying in the energy. Every piece of him looked <em>alive. </em></span>
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  </em>
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  <span>Behind him, the same sentient shapes from before had come into focus, and Keiji could not believe what he was seeing. Creatures he had never seen before erupted from the surface of the nexus and took form in the air around them. Large, aquatic beings with fins of all colors drew lines in the energy above them, swirling in big, sweeping motions that made him feel as if he were underwater. Horned creatures fell to the grass and began to circle them. Winged creatures soared far above, settling onto nearby branches and gazing down at them with eyes made of pure light. They were <em>animals</em>, but constructed of energy in dozens of colors in such a way that they seemed like spirits, nearly formless but just intact enough for him to find comfort in them. </span>
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</p><p>
  <span>“What is this?” He whispered, astonished. </span>
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</p><p>
  <span>Despite the pain written across his face, Shōyō was smiling. “He was tethered to the essence of spring.” He said it as if he were just as astonished, gazing at the animals around them with wide, hopeful eyes. “This is what the Uphraed do. They’re responsible for the thing they’re tethered to. Kōtarō spent his entire life making sure they could blossom and prosper – he protected them.” When he looked back at Keiji, he was crying. “The spirits remember him. Now they’re here to protect him.”</span>
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</p><p>
  <span>As if in response, all the spirits settled around them, watching the scene unfold. Now, Keiji noticed, other creatures had made their approach as well, intermingling with the spirits as if this were a natural phenomenon. </span>
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</p><p>
  <span>“So, if the thing they’re protecting dies,” Keiji asked, his voice wavering in tune with his emotions. “They die too?” </span>
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</p><p>
  <span>It felt like an impossibly unfair burden. </span>
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  <span>“The Uphraed aren’t like you, Keiji.” Shōyō’s voice was hushed, as if he knew Keiji would take issue with what he was saying. “They live as the personified essence of whatever they’re tied to. They live for their tether, nothing else.” </span>
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</p><p>
  <span>A rock formed in his throat. His hands froze atop Kōtarō’s head, and though he could not feel it, he could see that his fingers were shaking. He felt <em>angry. </em></span>
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</p><p>
  <span>“Will he die without a tether?” </span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes.” The answer was immediate. It seemed Shōyō could sense what he was thinking. </span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Keiji’s jaw tightened. “What will you tether him to, then?” </span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>A soft laugh filled the air between them. Keiji prepared himself to feel upset, to gaze harshly at his companion and scold him for taking the situation so lightly, but the motion between Shōyō’s hands made his words die in his throat. </span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>In place of the old, fragile tether Shōyō had snapped was a new one, bright and burning with a ferocity Keiji hadn’t expected. </span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll tie him to Azuros,” Shōyō said, staring hard at the line between his hands. The tension in it began to ease, and as it faded back into the net, Shōyō raised his eyes to Keiji’s. “And if he’s going to live to protect life on Azuros, then we can live to protect him.” His eyes were fierce. <em>Piercing. </em>“He is the last Uphraed. I will <em>not </em>let him die.” </span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>As Shōyō’s promise settled into the quiet air, the golden ball of light in the center of the net began to swell. The spirits around them began to move, all drawing near to where the four of them sat beneath the nexus. Were they not so astonishing to look at, Keiji might have feared their advance. </span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Their forms contracted and rippled, returning to the long tendrils they had originated from, and all at once, those tendrils spiked forward and disappeared into the expanse of the ball that represented Kōtarō’s life force. The only thing left in their place was a long, thin line connecting the center of Kōtarō’s chest to the nexus, and that line was burning <em>brilliantly. </em></span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>The universe was frozen, but in those few, short seconds where Keiji could not implore himself to breathe, Kōtarō’s chest rose and fell with a breath unmarred by any pain or suffering. The light slowly faded from Shōyō’s fingers and disappeared from his skin, leaving only the unassuming Vanai’i that Keiji knew well. </span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>They waited, and their waiting felt like an eternity. At his side, the azon had grown eerily silent, watching Kōtarō with a beastlike intensity. </span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Kōtarō took another breath, and when his eyes finally opened, he was smiling. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Shorter chapter this time around! I think what I've decided is instead of cramming multiple moments/perspectives into one chapter, I'll update more frequently with shorter chapters. It felt wrong following this moment by hopping into another perspective, so I decided to leave this. I'll be back soon with more!</p><p>NOTE ;; this fic is going to be switching perspectives fairly often. While it started as a primarily AtsuHina fic, I am really enjoying exploring other characters and would like to create quite a bit of content for the other ships as well, including their perspectives and their own respective storylines. Is the siwtch natural so far, or would you guys prefer I give context to who's perspective it is at the beginning of each chapter? Let me know!</p><p>As always, thanks for reading! &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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